Pediatric Dentistry | Markham Town Dental

An Early Start for a Healthy Smile

When your child’s first baby teeth start emerging between 6 and 12 months of age, it can be an exciting and simultaneously trying time. While they’re dealing with the process of teething, you’re thinking how quickly they’re already growing up. And, it’s time to start them on a regular oral hygiene routine.

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First Visit to the Dentist

When your child reaches 12 months or their first tooth has erupted (whichever happens first), bring them in for their first visit so we can establish an appropriate oral hygiene routine and jumpstart their journey to a healthy smile.

Some tips around their dental visit include avoiding the words pain, shot, or hurt. Instead, reassure them that the dentist will use special tools to make sure their smile is as healthy as it can be. Encourage them to share their feelings around the dentist, and listen.

What to Expect During Your Child’s Visit

Our caring team at Markham Town Dental aims to ease the worries of your little ones when they come to visit the dentist. We create a comforting and encouraging environment that will bolster your child’s appreciation for their smile.

We’ll Get to Know Your Child

When you bring your child in for an appointment, we’ll spend some time to get to know you and any information we need about them, including health history, oral hygiene habits, as well as lifestyle and diet.

When your adolescent or teenage child visits us, we will go over the oral health risks associated with tobacco use, substance use, and oral piercings.

Age 6 to 12 months

At this age, your child will be on an exam chair or your lap as the dentist or hygienist performs the following checks:

Assess your child’s risk of tooth decay
Remove stains or deposits on your child’s teeth by gently scrubbing with a wet toothbrush or wet cloth
Demonstrate proper cleaning techniques
Assess how much fluoride your child is getting through diet and oral hygiene products—if necessary, prescribe a fluoride supplement or apply a topical fluoride treatment to your child’s teeth
Look for sores or bumps on your child’s tongue, inside the cheeks, and on the roof of the mouth
Evaluate the impact of habits such as pacifier use and thumb sucking

Toddlers & School-Age

After their initial visit, we would like to see your child every 6 months. During each follow-up appointment, we will perform the following checks and procedures, if needed:

Take digital dental X-rays or do other diagnostic procedures if necessary
Apply sealants (thin, protective plastic coatings) to permanent molars and other back teeth susceptible to decay, if needed
Repair cavities or tooth defects
Look for problems in the way your child’s upper and lower teeth fit together
Counsel your child about the impact of thumb sucking, jaw clenching, or nail-biting
Recommend pre-orthodontic treatment, such as a special mouthpiece, or orthodontic treatment, such as braces, to straighten your child’s teeth or adjust the bite

Teenagers

As your child gets older, their visit to the dentist will involve more oral education and tips for maintaining their smile into adulthood. We will inform them about the health risks they could encounter from certain factors, including:

Drinking sugary beverages
Smoking
Chewing tobacco
Eating disorders
Oral piercings
Not wearing a mouthguard during contact sports

We might also broach the subject of wisdom teeth removal at the appropriate age, usually around age 16.

Discuss the Next Steps

At the end of the dental appointment, we will talk with you and your child about their oral health results, including your child’s risk for tooth decay, other concerns, and preventive measures to take at home.

We will also recommend a timeline for a follow-up appointment. Our dentists generally recommend every 6 months, but we may suggest more frequent checkups if your child has oral health concerns, like tooth decay.

Book Your Child’s Dental Appointment Today

Your child’s oral hygiene and health can be maintained and protected with routine visits to the dentist. So visit us at Markham Town Dental today and begin your child’s journey to a healthy smile.

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