Pediatric Dentist Merced CA

Prosthodontics & Implant Dental Center has provided exceptional service to every member of the family from Merced. Winton, Atwater, Cressey, and surrounding areas for over 10 years. Our team of pediatric dentists teach your children early on the importance of good oral hygiene and how to take proper care for their teeth.

Why are Baby Teeth Important?

Baby teeth are important for the growth and development of your adult teeth. Healthy baby teeth, also known as primary teeth, allow children to establish proper chewing, eating and speaking. The stronger your baby teeth, the healthier your jaw bones and muscles are, allowing your adult teeth to grown into place with ease. Children's teeth can become crooked if they lose a baby tooth too early, which can lead to costly dental procedures in the future. Issues like tooth decay that develop in your primary teeth can spread to your permanent teeth, causing pain or discomfort, abscesses, and other infections. It is important to seek professional help once you notice or suspect your child has an oral issue.

Teaching children proper oral hygiene is key to for them to have a healthy and happy smile well into the future. It is also important for you to practice good oral hygiene because your children are likely to follow in your footsteps.

Should Baby Teeth be Treated the Same as Adult Teeth?

Both children and adults should brush their teeth twice a day with American Dental Association approved toothpaste and floss once.

For children, oral hygiene should begin even before they develop teeth. The ADA recommends starting as soon as a few days after they're born. To care for your child’s mouth, lightly wipe their gums with a clean and damp washcloth or gauze pad.

Once your children’s teeth have surfaced, they can adopt tooth decay if they are not properly cared for. When they are old enough, you should show them how to properly hold a toothbrush, how much toothpaste to use, about the size of a pea, and how to brush their teeth effectively. Continue to watch them to make sure they are spitting out toothpaste and not swallowing it. After the age of three, children can start using toothpaste containing fluoride. Flossing should begin once they have two or more teeth touching.

What Dental Problems Could My Child Have?

Although your children’s teeth are new, once surfaced, they are susceptible to tooth decay, gum disease, and other oral issues. Oral issues that occur early on can compromise the health and development or your permanent teeth. Weak teeth can cause you painful and expensive dental treatments in the future.

We recommend bringing your child in for their first visit as early as you see appropriate. The earlier we can monitor the health of their mouth, the better we can advise them, keeping their smiles happy and healthy.

Tooth Decay

Tooth decay can form once your baby teeth have surfaced. It is common for children to develop tooth decay from their pacifier touching or getting dipped in something sweet, sleeping with their bottle, and from other people’s saliva. A parent may transfer saliva when they clean of their child’s pacifier or spoons with their mouth.

Gum Disease

Inflammation of the gum tissue is common among children. To avoid gum disease, clean your child’s mouth regularly, even if none of their teeth have surfaced yet.

Oral Habits

Monitor your child’s digit sucking and teeth grinding, as they can turn into painful and expensive dental problems in the future. Your child’s permanent teeth can be affected if they continue these habits for too long.  

Do children need preventative care?

Just like adults, children need preventative care to avoid painful, costly, and embarrassing dental problems in the future.

At Prosthodontics & Implant Dental Center, our team is constantly up to date with the latest trends and treatments in preventative care. We use sealant technology to protect your child’s teeth from oral issues that can happen over time. These sealants are placed on the back of your child’s teeth, where they chew, to avoid food getting stuck, and turning into plaque and tooth decay. Dental sealants are just one of the many preventative services we offer to protect your child’s teeth and overall health well into the future.

How should I prepare my child for his or her first visit?

This is a question we get a lot. We suggest reading your child books about the dentist for so it becomes a familiar place. Books allow them to get to know the environment, tools, and even some terminology.

We can assure a trip to our office in Merced, CA will not be a scary one. We know the dentist may not be your favorite place, and perhaps somewhere you fear or dread. Our team is here to make sure your child doesn’t associate the dentist with fear, but rather a friendly and comfortable environment. We have pediatric dentists who are specially trained to work with children and know how to make them feel comforted and at ease their entire visit.

We have been serving every member of the family in Merced, Winton, Atwater, Cressey, and other nearby communities for over 10 years.

To schedule an appointment , call (209) 383-9222 or email, ranumishra@gmail.com. You can stop by our Merced office to take a tour and have your child meet our friendly staff.