Children's Dentistry

It's not unusual for anxious parents to bring their children in to see us -- even before making their own appointment. Somehow, these folks feel more confident after they see their kids getting great dental care!

Actually, great dental health begins long before your child visits the dentist. In infancy, you can promote dental health by making certain you never put your child to sleep with a baby bottle. Formula, bathing the teeth during a nap, provides the ideal conditions for cavities. When the bottle leads to numerous cavities, dentists call the condition, "Baby Bottle Caries."

In the same way, you should avoid giving sweet drinks in a bottle. Drink juice from a cup only.

Begin brushing as soon as your child's teeth begin to appear. Even baby teeth need regular brushing. You can start brushing with a washcloth and progress to a small, soft pediatric tooth brush. Toothpaste serves to make the process more pleasant, though it isn't truly necessary.

If you are providing regular brushing, and are careful about your child's exposure to foods and sweets, your child may not need to visit the dentist before he/she is two years old. We advise that you bring your child with you to your own dental check up. On that visit, your child can "ride" up and down in the dental chair, look at and touch the equipment and become familiar with the office and staff.

Should dental care become necessary, Dr. Kim has extensive experience working with children of all ages and anxieties. We are able to provide restorative procedures for most children right in our office. Children from our dental family grow up to be confident patients who enjoy taking care of their healthy smiles.