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Pediatric Dentistry

Is It Too Early to Take My Child to the Dentist?

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The average recommendation is to make the appointment for when the child is 6 months to 1-year-old.

A visit to the dentist generally isn’t anyone’s favorite way to pass the time. And if you think of a restless toddler who puts on a tantrum just because his socks are blue, going to the dentist’s office may seem like an impossible mission. Plus, is it really needed? Their baby teeth are sparkling clean and they will be replaced soon anyway. Why bother with a possibly traumatic experience like that?

child at the dentist

The following might change your mind about oral health education or reinforce what you already planned about it.

The vast majority of dentists in America agree that the first visit to the dentist should be done early, some even expecting the child into the cabinet when the very first tooth appears. The average recommendation is to make the appointment for when the child is 6 months to 1 year old.

What Happens on the First Visit?

The very first visit you make to your St. Louis pediatric dentist’s office is more about getting the child used to the environment, having them acquainted with the doctor and reinforce the oral hygiene lessons you’ve been practicing at home. The dentist will gently introduce your child to the medical equipment, let him get comfy on the chair and talk to both of you.

The first visit is meant to get the child relaxed in this environment and to inform the parent about the correct way of cleaning the child’s teeth, how to encourage cooperation and what to be on the lookout for.

Some dentists, if all goes well, can perform a gentle cleanse and get rid of plaque and other deposits on the teeth. That is a great way of teaching the child that they will not be hurt when on the dentist’s chair and that oral health is extremely important.

How to Make the First Visit Successful

Your approach prior to the first visit depends a lot on the child’s age. An older child – 3 or 4 years old – can understand simple explanations about the importance of oral health and clean teeth. A one-year-old won’t be so easy to reason with, right? But don’t worry, there are other tricks to make them excited about going to the dentist.

Get them toy dentist utensils and have their dolls and teddies get some routine “dental procedures”. Bring their favorite toys to the cabinet and let them participate. Older siblings can also be of great help in this situations, showing their little brother or sister that they are calm and comfortable. Rewarding good behavior at the dentist is also a good idea.

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St. Louis Pediatric Dentist

Most importantly, if you are calm and positive about their first visit to your St. Louis pediatric dentist, your child will handle the event much better. Here’s to healthy teeth!

Give us a call today to learn more or to schedule an appointment!


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How to Make Your Kid’s Visit to the Dentist as Stress-Free as Possible

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Your child’s oral health is very important and a good start will impact the rest of their lives.

Taking your child to the dentist as early as possible is a very important step in educating them about good oral hygiene. However, for many parents it seems like a stressful event, especially if the child is very young or if the parent himself has some trouble coping with dentist visits.

If you want to eliminate the stress associated with the dentist visit for your child, take your time to prepare with a few tips and tricks.

st. louis child at dentist

Visit the Dentist as Early as Possible

The best start to smooth dentist visits with your child is to let them get familiar with this situation as early as possible. If possible, try to make the first dentist visit while your child is still a toddler. It’s not too early, as some parents think, because it’s more about getting them used to the setting than getting actual procedures done.

Make the Visits Fun and Take It Slowly

If you start early and go to routine checks instead of waiting for the first problem to visit your St. Louis pediatric dentist, you don’t have to rush the appointment. You can take it slowly and let them explore the cabinet and the equipment, take the time to meet and get comfortable with the staff and realize that it is a safe zone. Most dentists will be very understanding of these courtesy visits.

Read Books about Going to the Dentist

Books are always a good aid in getting the kids familiar with certain aspects of life. Fortunately, there are plenty of about going to the dentist that will sparkle your child’s interest and set the correct expectations about the visit. It is important that you also project a positive image of the dentist and avoid saying words like “pain” or “hurt”.  

Play with Your Child and Pretend You Are at the Dentist

Another great way of learning what to expect is to play pretend dentist. You can take turns to be the dentist or the patient and use toys that look similar to the dentist’s instruments. There are plenty of dentist toys you can use to make the idea of going for a check-up fun and interesting.

Let Them Take a Comfort Item with Them

This might work better for younger children, but it is worth trying with older kids too if they feel a little anxious about going to the dentist. Take a toy or item that makes them feel comfortable, but avoid bringing them if they are too big and may interfere with the doctor’s work.

Stay With Them and Talk to Them

Most importantly, your presence should be calming and reassuring. Stay with them and make sure they can see you or hear you at any point of the procedure. Talk to them and the dentist and try to be cheery, calm and positive.

Your child will eventually get used to going to the dentist if you are persistent. Their oral health is very important and a good start will impact the rest of their lives.

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St. Louis Pediatric Dentist


At The Dental Anesthesia Center, your child’s initial oral examination will include a visual examination, charting, diagnosis and treatment recommendations. We work hard to make your child feel at ease by providing exceptional patient care in a relaxed, convenient atmosphere. Depending on your child’s circumstances, we will discuss if sedation or anesthesia is right for your child.


Call us today to schedule your appointment at (314) 862-7844. We look forward to meeting you!

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6 Signs that Your Child May Have a Problem With His or Her Bite

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If you notice one or more of these symptoms and you are concerned that it may indicate a poor bite, don’t wait to schedule an appointment.

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When it comes to your child’s teeth you may be on the lookout for signs of plaque and tooth decay. But those are not the only things you should keep an eye on when checking your kid’s teeth. Malocclusion, or a poor bite, can affect your little one’s health, well-being, and comfort in the long term, and affect the way his or her permanent teeth will align.

But how can you tell if your child has a poor bite? Well, the first signs begin appearing around six years of age. That’s when the child has enough teeth to give evidence of a poor bite, giving you an idea about how their permanent teeth will emerge and align.

Here are 6 signs you can watch for to indicate that your child may have a poor bite:

  1. Difficulty Speaking – If your child has a lisp or other speech issue, it could be due to a poor bite. It may be a subtle symptom, but if your child’s teeth don’t align properly, it may lead to altered speech.
  2. Sleep Issues – There are a number of factors related to a poor bite that can lead to problems with sleeping such as mouth dryness, poor oxygenation of the brain, sleep apnea or snoring.
  3. Tooth Decay – Teeth that don’t align properly may be too crowded together. This can make it difficult to brush those areas and remove plaque, which can lead to tooth decay. That is why a poor bite is much more than just an aesthetic inconvenience and needs to be addressed as soon as possible by an orthodontist.
  4. Pain and Headaches – The pressure that a poor bite puts on some of the teeth will cause pain, tension, and headaches. If your child tells you about head, mouth or jaw pains, try to monitor him and see if a poor bite could be the issue.
  5. Severe Wear – Another sign that your child’s teeth are not in harmony is severe wear on the teeth. If your child has worn all the enamel off the biting edges of his or her teeth, you will be able to see a darker colored surface. This type of wear can be especially damaging to the front teeth.
  6. The Clench Test – Make sure your child’s mouth is empty, then have them close their teeth together and squeeze hard. If clenching their teeth together causes any sign of discomfort, they likely have a disharmony in their bite.

What Can You Do about It?

If you notice one or more of these symptoms and you are concerned that it may indicate a poor bite, talk to your child’s pediatric dentist. They will be able to identify an incorrect bite and correct it with the proper, least invasive treatment.

Braces, retainers or, in some serious cases, operation are often the best solutions for this issue. The dentist will present you with your best options.

Contact The Dental Anesthesia Center

If you notice issues with your child’s bite, don’t wait to schedule an appointment. Problems with the way their teeth fit together can cause pain and discomfort, and can lead to other problems.

At The Dental Anesthesia Center, your child’s initial oral examination will include a visual examination, charting, diagnosis and treatment recommendations. We work hard to make your child feel at ease by providing exceptional patient care in a relaxed, convenient atmosphere. Depending on your child’s circumstances, we will discuss if sedation or anesthesia is right for your child.

Call us today to schedule your appointment at (314) 862-7844. We look forward to meeting you!

What is Bruxism and When Should You Worry About It?

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Signs of bruxism are pain when chewing, sore jaw or teeth in the morning, chipped enamel or very specific wear in the points where the teeth meet.

Most children start grinding their teeth as soon as they get those first pearly whites on both the upper and lower jaw. It is also a way to experiment the new things they can do with the latest additions, so you don’t need to worry at first. It is perfectly normal. It is also to be expected when the permanent teeth start emerging or when other factors make them anxious. However, in the latter case, grinding teeth can be a sign of psychological distress and should be addressed early, as it tends to worsen with time.

The medical term for grinding your teeth compulsively is bruxism. You can talk about it with the your St. Louis pediatric dentist to learn more about how you can tackle it. But, as said before, a temporary habit of grinding teeth should be expected and you don’t have to worry about it.

If your child seems to persist in grinding his teeth and you consider it to last a bit too long, then you should contact a medical specialist to eliminate possible causes for chronic bruxism and get a possible courses of treatment.

Signs of Bruxism

First, you need to make sure you’ve identified the issue correctly. In a lot of cases, teeth grinding happens at night, during sleep, so your child may actually be unaware of the grinding. Observe the child during his sleep and check if there are any grinding sounds in the course of one or two hours. If the child sleeps in the same room or bed with siblings, ask them if they hear grinding at night.

Other signs of sleep bruxism are pain when chewing, sore jaw or teeth in the morning, chipped enamel or very specific wear in the points where the teeth meet. In this case, bruxism has been going on for long enough to affect the integrity of the teeth, so you need to schedule an appointment with your St. Louis pediatric dentist as soon as possible for a diagnosis.

Treatment of Bruxism

The treatment of bruxism depends on eliminating its cause. That is why it is important to see a dentist about it. They will be able to identify problems with the teeth, possible alignment problems, or other oral health issues that can correlate with bruxism.

If the teeth seem perfectly fine, the pediatric dentist can guide you towards other specialists, like a child therapist. If stress is the culprit behind bruxism, a therapist or counselor will talk to you and the child to identify the cause of the stress or anxiety.

St. Louis Pediatric Dentistry

If you are concerned about your child grinding their teeth, don’t wait to schedule an appointment with your pediatric dentist. At The Dental Anesthesia Center, we value our patient relationships, making it our priority to deliver gentle dental care that you deserve from sedation dentists in St. Louis. We work hard to make you feel at ease by providing exceptional patient care in a relaxed, convenient atmosphere.

Call us today to schedule an appointment at (314) 862-7844.

How to Make Brushing Your Toddler’s Teeth Fun

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Your child’s oral health is extremely important for their overall well-being, and getting them to like brushing their teeth is a big accomplishment!

Convincing your toddler to sit still and keep his mouth open while you thoroughly brush his teeth twice a day may seem close to an impossible mission.

mother helping daughter brush her teeth

No matter how restless your toddler gets when it comes to oral hygiene, it shouldn’t be compromised, even if baby teeth are only there for a few years. Children need good oral hygeine habits for many solid reasons:

  • Baby teeth will help the permanent ones align properly;
  • Taking care of their teeth at an early age will teach them good oral hygiene habits;
  • Brushing their teeth regularly prevents a long list of oral diseases.

You may already know the theory too well, but no guide is telling you how to tackle this mission day after day. We have a few tips that our St. Louis pediatrician dentist recommends for making brushing your toddler’s teeth fun. You may have to test and see which one works best for your little one, but their pearly whites will definitely thank you for it later.

The Power of Example

You already know how good your toddler is at imitating your actions and behavior. Use this natural imitating mechanism to teach them how to brush their teeth and get them used to it daily. Have your toddler with you in the bathroom when you brush your teeth. You can put them in their high chair, have them on the sink or countertop or place them comfortably on your lap, it’s up to you. Make sure you make brushing look exciting and fun.

Let Them Make Decisions About It

Toddlers love to try doing things themselves, even if it’s sometimes painstakingly slow or clumsy. You should be proud and encourage their initiatives, especially when it comes to good habits. They learn best by experimenting on their own. Let them pick their toothbrush, water cup and toothpaste (from a variety of child-friendly ones, of course) and let them practice brushing before you clean them yourself.

Use Their Favorite Toys

Does their favorite teddy bear or toy dinosaur join you when you’re brushing your teeth? They should, because everybody needs to clean their teeth. Consider letting your toddler “brush” their toys’ teeth and praise them for a job well done. If you have pets, cleaning their teeth is a great way of involving your child in the process and get them to like it more.

Find Books and Songs About It

Learning with the help of children’s books is a great option we have nowadays, as there is a book for just about any type of situation parents may find themselves into. Find a fun book with appealing images about brushing your teeth and read it regularly with your toddler. If you enjoy music together, you can sing a fitting song at cleaning time.

Making brushing your teeth fun might not work at first, as toddlers can be extremely fussy about being held or forced to do something, but it is worth insisting and changing the strategy if the present one doesn’t work. Your child’s oral health is extremely important for their overall well-being, and getting them to like brushing their teeth is a big accomplishment! Don’t give up!

3 Simple Ways to Protect Your Child’s Tooth Enamel

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Prevent a number of potential oral health problems by protecting your child’s tooth enamel.

Tooth enamel is the most important line of defense for our teeth. Erosion can weaken and expose them to decay and other problems. Oral hygiene is paramount for our children as it can impact not only the appearance of their teeth but their health and alignment as well. So, creating good dental habits from an early age will benefit them in the long term, even if their pearly whites are only temporary for now.

st. louis girl brushing her teeth

If their baby teeth begin to show signs of oral disease, it is crucial to get treatment right away. Some parents think that it is better to avoid putting their children through scary dentist treatments since their teeth will be replaced anyway. However, the health of baby teeth will influence the health of permanent teeth. Plus, it’s essential to get children used to the dental office and be comfortable when they get their regular check-ups with their St. Louis pediatric dentist.

Of course, the ideal approach to oral health is to prevent problems, since the dental tissue doesn’t regenerate like other parts of our body do.

Let’s see what you can do to protect your child’s enamel and prevent a large number of potential oral health problems.

Brush and Floss at Least Twice a Day

Focus on creating a good habit in your child’s daily routine by getting them used to brushing their teeth and flossing every day, at least in the morning and evening.

Start cleaning their teeth the moment the very first tooth erupts and clean them with a cloth or a silicone brush for babies. As their teeth emerge from the gums and they can better hold and use the brush, you can let them brush themselves. You should generally brush their teeth yourself up until they are around three years old to make sure it’s done correctly.

You can also introduce them early to the dental clinic and have a St. Louis pediatrist dentist chat with them and explain with patience and empathy how treatment will be administered and what preventive measures they should take.

Rinse with Water after Every Meal and Snack

An excellent habit that you can include in your child’s hygiene routine is rinsing their mouth with water after every meal they have.

Doing this straightforward thing will efficiently prevent enamel erosion by flushing away acids and food debris that could damage the teeth if it lingers in the mouth for too long. It is also quick and simple to do, so your child will be less likely to protest.

Avoid Foods and Drinks That Are Damaging to the Enamel

Some foods and drinks are really bad for your child’s teeth, and unfortunately, they are often some of the favorites ones of the little ones.

As you may have guessed by now, the biggest culprits are sweets. Candies like toffee or caramel that sticks to their teeth are the most damaging ones, but they aren’t the only sweets that you should avoid.

Fruit juices and soda are also very bad for your child’s teeth, as they are both sweet and acidic. Try to limit or eliminate them from your child’s diet, as they generally provide little, if any nutritional value. It’s better to give your child fruit as it may help them exercise their chewing muscles, get their necessary fiber intake, limit the sugars that are ingested and clean up their teeth rather than destroying them.

Other than the three measures presented above, you can help your child’s oral health by being involved in their oral hygiene, always insist that they clean their teeth and make the dental office a friendly and safe place for them.