Pediatric dental professionals love a healthy set of teeth, especially when those teeth belong to their patients. There is a sense of pride that a pediatric dentist feels when these young patients grow into young adults with good teeth and great oral habits. From a young age, a child should learn how to take care of themselves. Children should learn about stranger danger, how to cross the road, how to interact with others and just as important, how to eat right. A child who sees a pediatric dentist gets to learn about good nutrition. Chances are that the dentist taught them about good food from an early age.
Pediatric dental professionals teach patients about nutrition in an incremental manner. Dentists teach toddlers about good and bad foods using colorful learning aids and fun little songs. As the toddler gets older, the dentist will change tactics by appealing to the independent streak in the patients. The dentist will give the seven or eight-year-old the responsibility of tracking what they eat, ‘like a grown-up’. The dentist will also make cool associations by encouraging the child to take care of teeth like a favorite superhero or cartoon character.
By the time the child is a pre-teen, they will have good oral habits with the guidance of the pediatric dentist and reinforcement from parents. At this point, the dentist will change gears and prepare the child for the teenage years. The dentists will teach the patient to make good decisions even as parents take a step back.
Nutritional counseling is one aspect of preventative dentistry. For teenagers, counseling introduces good nutrition or reinforces the oral habits that the patient learned in earlier years. Good nutrition is a huge part of good oral habits and good oral habits keep the teeth from avoidable dental procedures.
A pediatric dentist knows how to reach teenagers. The dentist will frame nutritional counseling as lifestyle choices that will benefit the teen. The dentist will advise the patient to limit sugar because less sugar is good for the teeth and the entire body. This is something an image-conscious teen will take to heart. The dentist will also remind the teen that oral health is up to them now and will have to make regular dentist appointments. Since teenagers look forward to being independent, they may very well associate good nutrition with autonomy.
A pediatric dentist has many approaches to nutritional counseling for teens. Pediatric dentists customize their approach to match the personality of each teenage patient. This is just one of the many reasons that parents should make the effort to find a good and caring pediatric dental professional.
Call and make an appointment. Bring your teen along when you come. You will love how the dentist builds a rapport with your kid. Soon, your child will be taking in information that will serve them well for the rest of their life.
Request an appointment here: https://www.pediatricdentistsuffolk.com or call Fun Park Pediatric Dentistry at (757) 767-2767 for an appointment in our Suffolk office.
Your child should see a pediatric dentist at an early age, ideally when they start to teeth. The aim is to have the dentist track the growth and development of their entire oral cavity. Regular visits enable the kids’ dentist to monitor the child as they hit different developmental milestones. The dentist also gets to…
Pediatric dentists focus primarily on treating toddlers and children. Of course, younger patients have specific needs that adult patients do not have, which is why taking your child to see a pediatric dentist can be incredibly beneficial. They may also provide a more welcoming environment for children.The following is a detailed review of when parents…
Pediatric dentists treat children who still have their baby teeth. Part of ensuring children can prevent oral health concerns at a young age includes teaching patients how to help their children brush and floss daily. This review discusses how parents can care for their child’s baby teeth between visits with their pediatric dentist.Four key tips…
You may know that bringing your child to the dentist twice a year is important, but you may be less sure about when to see an emergency pediatric dentist. Some dental complaints may be able to wait to be treated, but certain symptoms and signs indicate that emergency treatment is necessary. There are certain instances in…
Finding a good kids special needs dentist is crucial, as it determines how well the child's dental experience will go. When it comes to a child with special needs, there is extra care and patience involved, which is why it is so important to find a good fitting dentist. Thankfully, there are a few things…
Baby dental crown placement is a common treatment performed in pediatric dentistry. While the word "baby" does imply that they are used for infants, these crowns are actually used for baby or primary teeth, whether in a toddler or child who is anywhere from the ages of four to 10 years old.Outlined below are a…