Pediatric Dentist in NYC Shares Tips for Kids’ Healthiest Smiles
When you bring your child to the dentist, you want them to leave with more than just clean, healthy teeth. You want to choose a pediatric dentist in NYC that has your child smiling and laughing throughout their visit. That positive bond helps to set your child up for great oral health for a lifetime.
You’ll also want to work with a practice that helps you discover things you might not otherwise have known about your child’s teeth and oral healthcare. With that in mind, we’d like to share a short list of pediatric dental “aha moments” to help you and your children create healthy, happy smiles together.
The Truth About Children and Tooth Decay
Did you know that more than 40% of children ages 2 – 19 experience tooth decay? Yikes! That number actually illustrates a reduction, down from 50% about a decade ago, but the number is still staggering. Bringing your child to the dentist for cleanings and checkups twice a year is a great way to help them understand that oral health is important.
When they come in to visit us, our warm and friendly staff keeps things light, fun, and friendly while teaching your child about the best way to brush and floss. We’ll talk to them about what they’re doing currently, and coach them on any areas of improvement we see. Think of us as your child’s oral health cheerleaders! We offer a fun and comfortable environment for them to learn about and improve their oral wellness.
Watch Out for “Healthy” Drinks Packed with Sugar
The next time you reach for a premade smoothie or juice, keep in mind that these often have just as much (and occasionally more!) sugar in them as a can of soda. Water is always your best bet for a quick drink on the go. And of course, we realize you and your child will enjoy other beverages sometimes, too! The key is remembering to brush teeth afterwards so sugars don’t sit on the teeth and contribute to tooth decay.
Early Dental Visits Build Comfort
We’re all familiar with dental fears, whether we’ve experienced them ourselves, have a friend or relative who suffers from dental anxiety, or have seen this phobia play out on TV and in films. These days, with the advances in dental technology and comfort care, going to the dentist never needs to be scary.
For kids though, anything that is brand new to them can feel a little strange at first — especially since it involves someone putting hands and tools in their mouth! Our commitment to you and your child is to keep them feeling comfortable and happy throughout the appointment, and this is even easier when you bring your child to us from an early age.
The American Dental Association recommends starting children’s first dental visits as soon as their first tooth comes in. Even if you didn’t bring your child in as a baby though, we will work with you and them to make coming to the dentist fun and easy, starting now!
We’re here to help, and we look forward to seeing you soon. Call us today to schedule your child’s next pediatric dental care checkup and cleaning.
