Uncategorized - Pediatric Dentist in Nacogdoches, TX

When Should I Start Brushing My Baby’s Teeth?

December 6, 2022 by Admin

Taking care of our teeth from birth is important, and teaching our children good oral hygiene from the beginning can help them later on in life. Many parents wonder when it is a good idea to start brushing their baby’s teeth. Primary teeth are very important, and they help a child with speech and development. If a child loses their baby teeth too early from decay, the development of permanent teeth may be affected or come in crooked.

Why Is It a Good Idea to Brush Your Baby’s Teeth?

Our goal is to help our young patients and parents learn good oral hygiene habits to practice at home. Regular visits to the dentist are recommended when your child turns one year old, or when their teeth begin to erupt. Brushing your baby’s teeth can start right when you see their first tooth pop up through the gums. We recommend using a finger brush, or clean washcloth to wipe their teeth and tongue clean after meals and at bedtime. This helps to keep their teeth and gums clean and free of bacteria or food.

Can I Use Toothpaste?

According to the Academy of Pediatric Dentistry (AAPD), they recommend using a rice size bit of cavity preventing toothpaste when your baby’s first teeth erupt. When they reach the age of 3 parents can increase the toothpaste to be the size of a pea. Gently massage the teeth and gums to remove any bacteria or food that may have lingered in those areas. Visiting the dentist for your regular exams twice a month can help us get in front of any issues with your child’s teeth or mouth before they become serious. We can monitor their teeth for decay, and make sure their jaw is developing properly. Setting the stage in the beginning with good oral hygiene can really help teach your child how to care for their teeth in the future. Our doctors and team have years of pediatric dentistry experience, and we welcome new pediatric patients to join our dental family. Our team is trained to work with children, and we always make sure they have a positive experience when they visit our office. We strive to provide quality dental care you can trust.

Ready To Schedule Your Child’s Appointment?

If you are interested in scheduling your child’s regular dental exam with us, contact our friendly staff will be happy to assist you.

To schedule an appointment with us contact Nacogdoches Pediatric Dentistry, and our staff will be happy to assist you.

When Should I Start Brushing My Baby’s Teeth?

August 12, 2022August 12, 2022 by Admin

Why Is It a Good Idea to Brush Your Baby’s Teeth?

Can I Use Toothpaste?

Ready To Schedule Your Child’s Appointment?

If you are interested in scheduling your child’s regular dental exam with us, contact our friendly staff will be happy to assist you.

To schedule an appointment with us contact Nacogdoches Pediatric Dentistry, and our staff will be happy to assist you.

Is a Tooth Extraction and Filling Advisable for a 5 Year Old Child?

October 1, 2020September 29, 2020 by Admin

One of the most common questions parents face is how to handle cavities during their child’s dental exam. If your child has cavities there are proper ways to handle those cavities in young children. Many parents ask if teeth should be pulled, and in most cases it is better to fill a cavity rather than pull the tooth. At Nacogdoches Pediatric Dentistry in Nacogdoches, TX our patients’ health is our first priority. Before any treatment is done we discuss all options with the child’s parents and develop a customized treatment plan. Our team works to provide the highest level of care to ensure your child’s oral development is not affected.

Why Are Baby Teeth Important?

Baby teeth or primary teeth play an important role in the development of children. A child’s first teeth begin to erupt between the ages of six months to two years of age. Baby teeth help children to chew food properly as they move from milk or formula to solid foods. This aids in good nutrition and lessens the risk for choking.

Primary teeth also help children to speak and develop language. If a child has missing teeth, this can affect their speech or cause issues. Keeping baby teeth healthy and in place is necessary to ensure a child develops their speech properly. Primary teeth also help a child’s jaw growth or bite. If a child has missing teeth this can affect the development of the jaw, and lead to other orthodontic problems in the future.

Why Should You Keep Baby Teeth?

Baby teeth are meant to be kept in the mouth until they naturally fall out. Baby teeth help to hold space for the permanent tooth and prevent any collapsing due to empty space. If the surrounding teeth collapse this can cause the permanent tooth to be affected and erupt in the wrong position. In some cases permanent teeth can become impacted where they are unable to erupt at all. In addition, if a child has had multiple teeth removed this can cause their dental arch to collapse, create severe crowding, or even affect their airway.

How Should Cavities in Children Be Treated?

Small cavities in children are common and in most cases the cavity has begun the stage of softening or weakening the hard shell or enamel. At this point the cavity can still be reversed and we do not recommend treatment. To stop the progression we recommend good brushing and flossing to help stop the decay on the teeth.

If the cavity is severe we may recommend a filling to stop the decaying process and protect the permanent tooth underneath as well as the surrounding teeth. This allows the baby tooth to remain in the mouth until the tooth naturally falls out on its own.

When Is It Safe to Pull a Baby Tooth?

There are times when pulling a tooth may be necessary. Using X-rays Dr. Jennifer Criss’ friendly Nacogdoches dental team will examine the primary tooth and determine where the permanent tooth is positioned. If the permanent tooth is close to eruption, pulling the tooth is safe. If the permanent tooth is not ready to erupt, pulling a primary tooth is risky, and the primary tooth should be kept in place.

If the cavity is so small that there is no risk to the permanent tooth or surrounding teeth, it is best to leave the primary tooth in place and let it fall out naturally. For children that have issues with the placement of permanent teeth, a primary tooth may need to be removed to help produce a better result in the future.

Looking for a Pediatric Dentist Near You?

Our goal at Nacogdoches Pediatric Dentistry is to always keep a child’s primary teeth in place, and only remove them if absolutely necessary. We want our pediatric patients to love visiting our office. Our skilled and caring staff always work to ensure each appointment is an amazing and positive experience.

If you are looking for a pediatric dentist near you or have concerns about tooth extractions or dental fillings please contact our pediatric dental office in Nacogdoches, TX to set up a consultation appointment for your child. Our friendly staff will be happy to assist you!

What Are The Benefits of Pediatric Care?

August 21, 2020August 20, 2020 by Admin

There is no denying that dental health is important in all life stages. But what most people don’t realize is that oral care needs to start from an early age. After the first six months of a child’s birth, teeth start developing which makes it easier for the dentist to make necessary corrections before it gets a bit tricky.

Dental needs of children are very different from adults. Not only a pediatric dentist has the right qualification and training to treat children, but they also have additional years of training which allows them to meet the specific needs of those children.

Helping children addressing their oral hygiene issues is not only a smart health-related decision, but it can also save money for the parents as well.

What Are the Benefits of Pediatric Care?

Here are four key benefits of your child visiting a pediatric dentist:

1. Catch Problems Early

As mentioned earlier, pediatric care is essential because it allows catching problems at an early stage. You cannot let your child suffer through pain all those years and then get an oral surgery when it is absolutely necessary.

According to the recommendation of the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry (AAPD), children should see a dentist when their teeth start developing.

2. Overcoming the fear of visiting a dentist

Most people, as they grow old, develop a fear of visiting a dentist, not because of bad experiences but based on public opinion. This is due to the fact that most people don’t visit a dentist at a young age.

Pediatric dentists have specific training that allows them to cater to the well-being of a child through understanding their psychology which eventually helps in overcoming the fear of going to a dentist at later life stages.

3. Prevention based approach

Pediatric dentists consider themselves as teacher other than being a dentist. They seek to educate the parents and their children into developing better eating habits. Children learn faster at an early age which makes teaching good habits easier.

4. Less invasive treatment

Even if you have the best oral habits, issues can still take place. Children have baby teeth, and therefore the treatment procedures are relatively less invasive. For example: treating cavities can be done without drilling and can easily take place by applying “Silver Diamine Fluoride” (SDF) on the decayed tooth.

Make sure you have a pediatric dentist near your residence so that nothing ever comes between your children and their smile.

Looking for a quality Pediatric Dentist Near You?

If you are looking for a family friendly kid dentist near you, contact Dr. Jennifer Criss for your next dental cleaning! Our goal is to provide exceptional service in a family friendly environment. Our staff is available to answer any questions you may have, and we welcome all new patients to our office.

If you are interested in scheduling your next dental cleaning with us, please contact Nacogodoches Pediatric Dentisry in Nacogdoches, TX, and one of our staff members will be happy to assist you.

What Are Common Dental Problems in Childhood?

August 21, 2020August 18, 2020 by Admin

Pediatric dentistry is a specialty that addresses a wide variety of possible problems related to temporary dentition, milk, and permanent dentition. Possible alterations include the correct placement of the final teeth, pathologies due to change of dentition, trauma, congenital problems, etc.

What Are Some of the More Common Problems in Childhood?

Some common childhood dental problems can include the following:

1. Caries

These are the most common chronic childhood dental disease in children. The greater consumption of processed products rich in sugars or the late withdrawal of bottles or pacifiers favors the increase of caries in increasingly smaller children, even under 3 years. Therefore it is very important to educate the child in proper dental hygiene from very early ages. The treatment is usually the sealing of pits and fissures.

2. Injuries

The probability that children suffer breakages or fractures in the teeth due to blows or falls is high. At this stage in which they are acquiring psychomotor skills, accidents are more frequent. The pediatric dentist will restore the piece or reimplant them, always trying to keep the original tooth.

3. Malocclusion and Bite Problems

The appearance of the definitive denture may not be performed correctly: the teeth are separated (diastema), crooked or have no space to occlude. Similarly, the jaw may have a bad position due to different problems such as late withdrawal of the pacifier (this must be removed between 18-24 months to avoid major problems). In these cases, the pediatric dentist must identify the injuries and refer the patient to the orthodontist, a specialist in treating problems of dental structures.

4. Ankylosis of the Temporary Piece

This anomaly occurs when for some reason the temporary piece does not occlude, staying inside the gum and causing a problem for the definitive piece. The solution to this problem is usually the extraction of the piece.

5. Congenital Disorders

The timely detection of congenital diseases prevents the appearance of major problems. These conditions can cause the appearance of fewer or more teeth or sizes larger or smaller than due, both in temporary dentition (anodontics) and definitive dentition (ablastodoncia).

To avoid a periodical illness it is very important to go to the pediatric dentist on a regular basis. The dentist will not only solve the oral problems of children but will establish guidelines for the prevention of possible complications with measures of dental hygiene and acquisition of healthy habits.

Looking for a quality Pediatric Dentist Near You?

If you are interested in scheduling your next dental cleaning with us, please contact Nacogodoches Pediatric Dentisry in Nacogdoches, TX, and one of our staff members will be happy to assist you.

When Should a Person Switch Pediatric Dentists?

August 2, 2020July 28, 2020 by Admin

Switching dentists can be a hard decision, but patients need to make a change if they notice things aren’t working out with the current practice. Knowing when to make the move can be hard, but there are some tips you can follow to help you find your new dental office or dental clinic in the Nacogodoches, TX area.

There are signs you can look out for that indicate it may be time to start your search to find your next dental practice. At Nacogodoches Pediatric Dentistry, we welcome new patients to our practice, and strive to provide exceptional service to patients of all ages. We know how important finding the right dentist is, and we go above and beyond to provide the highest level of service and care for our patients!

What Are Some Signs That Indicate it May Be Time to Switch Pediatric Dental Practices?

Your dentist has retired or moved
You have decided to move away from the area
Appointments tend to be at inconvenient times
Getting to your dentist is difficult, and the practice may be in an inconvenient location
The practice does not offer the dental procedures you need
Your friends or family have recommended another practice that sounds like it may be a better fit
You have had to call the billing department and dispute charges multiple times
Your dental insurance has changed
You do not feel comfortable with the recommended treatment plan at your current dentist

How Should I Go About Switching Dentists?

Once you have made the decision to switch dentists you can focus on finding your new practice. Making sure the new dentist is a good fit is important, and there are many things to consider. Think about what type of dental practice you would like for you and your family. Would a family practice work better and if so, make sure the new practice can provide all of the necessary services for your entire family. Research if the practice offers orthodontics if you have teenagers, should you need that type of treatment. This will help to eliminate the need for switching dentists again in the future.

Do your research and check out some online reviews to read about the dentist’s certifications or background. Read about the mission statement to understand the practice values, and how the practice is run. Make sure the facility is updated, and has the latest technology and advanced procedures available.

Once you have done your research and have found a dentist you think may be a good fit, schedule a visit to check out the practice. This way you can see firsthand if you are comfortable, and if your family would benefit from joining the practice.

When visiting the office take mental notes of important things such as how you are treated during your visit, and how long it takes you to get to and from the practice. Ask the staff if you can have a tour of the office to ensure the practice meets your expectations.

Looking for a quality Pediatric Dentist Near You?

If you are looking for a family friendly pediatric dentist near you, contact Dr. Jennifer Criss for your next dental cleaning. Our goal is to provide exceptional service in a family friendly environment. Our staff is available to answer any questions you may have, and we welcome all new patients to our office.

If you are interested in scheduling your next dental cleaning with us, please contact Nacogodoches, TX, and one of our staff members will be happy to assist you.

1602 E. Starr Ave. Suite 203
Nacogdoches, TX 75961

(936) 559-7200

When Should I Start Brushing My Baby’s Teeth?

Why Is It a Good Idea to Brush Your Baby’s Teeth?

Can I Use Toothpaste?

Ready To Schedule Your Child’s Appointment?

When Should I Start Brushing My Baby’s Teeth?

Why Is It a Good Idea to Brush Your Baby’s Teeth?

Can I Use Toothpaste?

Ready To Schedule Your Child’s Appointment?

Is a Tooth Extraction and Filling Advisable for a 5 Year Old Child?

Why Are Baby Teeth Important?

Why Should You Keep Baby Teeth?

How Should Cavities in Children Be Treated?

When Is It Safe to Pull a Baby Tooth?

Looking for a Pediatric Dentist Near You?

What Are The Benefits of Pediatric Care?