Pediatric Dentistry
First Visit
New parents have plenty to worry about: making sure their baby is healthy and happy, re-arranging their lives around hectic schedules and lost sleep, and figuring out what to do in all sorts of novel situations. When it comes to your child’s oral health, though, there’s plenty of help available. It all begins at our office, when you bring your youngster in for his or her first visit to the dentist.
Dental Sealants
The most likely location for a cavity to develop in your child’s mouth is on the chewing surfaces of the back teeth. Run your tongue over this area in your mouth, and you will feel the reason why: These surfaces are not smooth, as other areas of your teeth are. Instead, they are filled with tiny grooves referred to as “pits and fissures,” which trap bacteria and food particles.
Fluoride & Your Child
Fluoride, a naturally occurring mineral, is essential for proper tooth development and the prevention of tooth decay. Tooth decay is still a significant problem — but it is far less prevalent than it would have been, if not for the fluoridation of public water supplies. That’s why the major associations of pediatric dentists and doctors support water fluoridation to the current recommended levels of 0.70 parts per million (ppm). It’s also why the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has called fluoridated water one of the most significant health achievements of the 20th century.
Nitrous Oxide for Children
Some children are just too fearful to receive necessary dental care. In that type of situation, we may recommend conscious sedation with nitrous oxide to help make your child’s experience of dental treatment stress-free. Nitrous oxide, a colorless gas with a slightly sweet odor, has been used in medicine for about a century.
Space Maintainers
Your child’s little baby teeth have some big responsibilities. Until the adolescent years, they will not only help your youngster bite and chew (i.e., get proper nutrition) and speak correctly but also help guide the permanent teeth underneath them into proper position. In fact, a major function of baby teeth is to hold space for the adult teeth that will eventually push them out. At least that’s how it’s supposed to work; sometimes, however, injury or disease can cause a baby tooth to be lost prematurely.
Common Problems
Caries, or tooth decay, is a preventable disease. While caries might not endanger your child’s life, they may negatively impact their quality of life. When teeth and gums are consistently exposed to large amounts of starches and sugars, acids may form that begin to eat away at tooth enamel.
Emergency
Begin by cleaning around the sore tooth meticulously. Using warm salt water, rinse the mouth to displace any food trapped between teeth. UNDER NO CIRCUMSTANCES should you use aspirin on your child’s aching tooth or on the gums. In the event of facial swelling, apply a cold compress to the area. For temporary pain relief, acetaminophen is recommended. Contact our office as soon as possible.
Meet Your Pediatric Dentist in Des Moines, Iowa
Our staff is trained and skilled with many years of experience in dealing with the pediatric patient. We strive to provide energetic and fun-loving service to each patient. All of our staff members stay current with the very latest in technology and advances by regularly attending continuing education courses and seminars.
Our Office
Please feel free to contact our office during the following hours through our office phone number or at any time using the contact form. We look forward to hearing from you!
Address
Phone
Working Hours
Monday
8:00 AM - 4:30 PM
Tuesday
8:00 AM - 4:30 PM
Wednesday
8:00 AM - 4:30 PM
Thursday
8:00 AM - 4:30 PM
Friday
Closed
Saturday
Closed
Sunday
Closed
