The South Charlotte pediatric dentists work with parents and children from birth to adolescence regarding oral health care. Their comprehensive services include preventative and therapeutic counseling and support for parents and adolescents. Services in the children s dentist office can begin with parents while the mother is pregnant. These prenatal visits would include parent information about how to care for the oral health of their infant that would minimize the transmission of cariogenic bacteria from the parent to the child. If cariogenic bacteria is present in the pregnant mother’s saliva and it is not addressed by a dentist, then she can pass those harmful bacteria to her infant during regular care giving interactions with her child.
During neonatal visits, parental information and support would include caries prevention and a growth and development checkup for the infant. As babies are developing, their oral health is still the main responsibility of the parent. So with each visit, dentists will encourage parents to model good hygiene techniques and make it a scheduled routine at home for babies. As toddlers start to develop adult eating habits their oral care routine will need to incorporate flossing. This can be the most challenging stage of oral development for parents because the toddler’s mouth is so small. But, it is important for parents to understand that oral health can also have an effect on the development of speech in toddlers and preschoolers. And, if children start early visiting the dentist’s office when there is just a friendly smile and no drills, then they will be less afraid to see the children s dentist as they grow older.
When a child reaches school-aged, then our dentist office in South Charlotte will start to counsel the child about behavior modification for any oral habits that may negatively effect the growth and development of their teeth. A mission of South Charlotte Pediatric dentists is to provide preventative counseling, so that caries are limited and the child’s oral cavity is maintained throughout childhood. This may lessen the need for interceptive orthodontics and periodontal concerns throughout their childhood.
The professionals who work in the dentist office in South Charlotte know the benefits of correcting misaligned teeth, so they provide counseling for cosmetic dentistry, laser dentistry, tooth whitening procedures and braces before any work is done. Pediatric dentists understand how a bright smile can boost a child’s self-esteem which in turn could positively affect their school behavior.