The most reliably effective way to take charge of any child’s dental health is to attend pediatric dental checkups routinely. Dr. Criss and her staff are child-oriented and friendly, and your child should have a positive experience while going to checkups at our office.

Why does your child need routine monitoring of the health and growth of their teeth? Because it is much easier to prevent dental cavities and other dental problems than it is to fix the issues once they’ve started. A child should first see their dentist as soon as teeth begin to erupt.

Dr. Criss gives the parents of her pediatric patients’ excellent tips on how to keep their child’s teeth in tip-top shape. She monitors the growth of the child’s face, teeth and jaws to detect any abnormalities before they become a larger problem. If your child’s teeth do develop an infection, or an injury occurs, she catches the dental issue before it becomes a problem. Dr. Criss can also head off orthodontic matters before they become a more pressing concern.

Dental issues in children can affect how they talk and eat, and can change the child’s all-over physical health. Certain behaviors or habits impact dental health by impacting jaw or teeth development. This is especially true if these behaviors occur over a long period of time. Some of these behaviors include:

• thumb sucking
• pacifier use
• mouth breathing
• teeth grinding
• nail biting
• contact sports participation

Promoting normal dental development can be as simple as wearing a mouth guard during sports participation. Mouth guards can be purchased premade or may be custom made. Your child’s dentist can work with you to determine which type of guard is best for your child’s situation.

Other dental interventions can include a team of specialists to help your child understand the causes behind the behavior as they learn to make healthier choices. This type of approach is useful for meeting goals such as reducing or eliminating nail biting. You can trust Dr. Criss and her staff to help your child grow and achieve their optimal dental health.