Pediatric dentistry
We place a strong focus on brushing and preventive control for good oral health, preventive sealing of pitting in molars and premolars and topical fluoride application where necessary to help prevent the formation of dental cavities.
The first visit to the dentist
It is recommended that you visit the dentist when the first temporary (milk) tooth appears, on the first birthday or before the age of two at the latest.
In this first visit, in addition to checking the state of the temporary teeth, techniques of oral hygiene education and dietary recommendations wil be explained.
We know how important it is for children to understand that going to the paediatrics dentist is something natural and necessary. Therefore, the first visit is essential to create a good attitude towards oral health.
Keeping the temporary teeth is fundamental for the correct development of the jaws and, above all, for the conservation of the space in which the permanent teeth will erupt. Generating in children the habit of correct oral hygiene is to provide them with the best formula for the maintenance of their teeth throughout their lives.
Our medical team is highly qualified and highly motivated in controlling and monitoring the evolution of dental growth of the youngest. If children learn that going to the dentist from a young age is a natural and necessary thing, when they grow up and develop into adults, they will have acquired a good habit that will have a positive effect on their dental health.
Cleaning of the mouth
The cleaning of the mouth must be done since the child is born. In principle, it is not necessary to use a brush, paste or dental floss. A simple gauze moistened to clean the gums and create the habit of cleaning will be enough.
When the first teeth of milk or temporary teeth appear, it is necessary to initiate the brushing (without applying toothpaste). These first teeth are as important as the definitive teeth that will come later, because the cavities in the teeth of milk can also weaken the permanent teeth.
Children should learn how to brush their teeth as soon as possible. They must learn the right way to brush themselves as if it were a game, i.e., it is about creating a healthy habit and not imposing something on them which then they may reject. The approximate age of onset is at 2 years when, after brushing, an adult should brush again to make sure the cleaning is adequate. It will not be until 6 or 7 years when the child can do it all alone.
Daily tooth brushing
Buying a brush according to your age and mouth size is essential to achieve a good cleaning.
The brushing should be done after the main meals and especially before going to bed. When the child learns to spit, toothpaste will be incorporated (do not swallow the paste ever). Finally they will start flossing.
Since children learn by imitation, it will always be a good lesson for your children to see how you brush and floss your teeth.
Periodic revision
Visit the dentist periodically. Getting the child accustomed to dental check-ups will avoid their anxiety and fear of the unknown. In addition, the dentist will be able to detect any problem in its initial stage so the solution will be simpler and less traumatic.
Fear of the dentist
The nervousness before the unknown and the bad memory of a previous treatment can generate in the children the famous fear of the dentist, a fear that can turn the visit to the dentist into a true nightmare. A child who is afraid of the dentist usually manifests one of the following symptoms:
- Cry upon reaching the dental office.
- Hide behind their elders.
- Make sudden movements to prevent the dentist from examining.
- Get sick before consultation.
In the first session the dentist will examine all the teeth of the child, check their hardness, colour, tone, whether they have spots, cavities or some other problem. Depending on the diagnosis, a dental cleaning or a filling may be required, in which case everything usually goes without complication. The problem can occur when the child must undergo a more laborious or traumatic dental treatment, such as the extraction of a tooth.
The best way to prevent fear is to take the child to the dentist since the first teeth come out, so that he becomes familiar with the environment of the office and the dentist. The revisions should be periodic, because in addition to familiarising the child with the equipment, their dental health is monitored, preventing decay to evolve to the point where they might require treatment or extraction of teeth. If they have a cavity problem, it will be so easy to solve that the child will not feel any discomfort. In addition, proper dental hygiene should be maintained by brushing the teeth after each meal and, above all, before going to bed at night.
Some advice
Before the first consultation, take the child to the clinic so that they know the environment and the instruments that are in sight. Choose a dentist who is accustomed to children.
When you need to be seen by the dentist or have a short treatment, take the child with you so they can see that you do not get scared or complain, which will prove to be not a bad thing. On the other hand, the dentist can relate what they are doing in easy language , avoiding words like thrust, cut, bleed ... and anything that can produce fear.
Convey confidence and security to the child at all times. If necessary, instead of the child lying down in the dentist's chair, you can sit in the armchair with the child on your lap in this first experience.
Avoid making negative comments about the dentist in front of your child, as they will listen to and internalise them. Do not use the visit to the dentist as a kind of punishment or threat. Do not tell your child "it will not hurt," because you will be assuming that possibility.
Tell the child in positive how important it is to go to the dentist and how nice they are all there.
Visit our web for kids with your child. That will help them understand many of the things that happen in the clinic in a simple way.
In cases of anxious or fearful patients, conscious sedation is used, a type of sedation that keeps the patient awake and relaxed. It is a gas that has the property of keeping the patient in a state of relaxation, ideal for cases of long dental treatments, severe pathologies, patients with a lot of fear, people with physical disabilities ...
Conscious sedation helps to avoid the discomfort of the treatments and allows a fast recovery and without adverse reactions. After its effect , the child does not remember well the dental process they have undergone. In Paediatrics Dentistry sedation serves to reduce the fear and discomfort of treatment by slowing down dental phobia and anxiety.
For the most problematic cases in which we do not get motivation or collaboration on the part of the patient, we apply a general anesthetic. These cases usually occur in children under 10 years of age with a lot of cavities and who need many appointments, patients with psychic disabilities that are impossible to treat in the dental chair or children with intractable fear (sometimes they are small children to whom, because of their age, you cannot explain what will happen). We understand that, as parents, it is a great responsibility to decide for them whether a treatment will be done under general anesthesia. Our task in any case is to report the whole procedure well.
Do not hesitate, make your appointment now