Pediatric Dentist Near Me Earth City, MO
Pediatric Dentist Near Me Earth City, MO. It’s no secret that the first few years of parenthood are stressful. Looking, frantically trying to find a “pediatric dentist near me” in Earth City, MO shouldn’t be adding to that pull-your-hair-out or hit-the-roof level of stress. We’re here to help. With over 30 years of experience, along with two accessible locations in the Earth City, MO area, Martin Dental & Associates is the nearby pediatric dentist you’ve been searching for.
Dr. John Martin is the dentist on staff at Ranken Jordan Pediatric Hospital, providing free pediatric dental services for the children they serve. He and his team of pediatric dentists, hygienists, and staff is committed to providing top-quality dental care near you in Earth City, MO. Nothing matters more to him than making sure his Earth City, MO patients’ oral health is taken care of, particularly children.
Our team is ready to serve your Earth City, MO family’s complete dental needs, making our services as accessible near Earth City, MO and as affordable as possible. Call us at 314-739-1222 for our Maryland Heights office, or 573-764-2425 for our Gerard office, or contact us online today to schedule an appointment. New Earth City, MO patients are always welcome at either location.
Earth City, MO Pediatric Dentist Near Me: What Is a Pediatric Dentist and When Do I Need One?
Pediatric dentists are specialists dedicated to the oral health of children, from infancy throughout the various stages of childhood and teenage years. They have an extra two to three years of specialized training after dental school. Some of this training includes:
- Advanced diagnostic and surgical procedures
- Oral pathology
- Child development
- Clinical management
- Child psychology
- Child-related pharmacology and radiology
- Management of oral and facial trauma
- Care for young patients with special needs
- General anesthesia for children
The American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry recommends that parents establish a pediatric dental home for their child by their first birthday, or within a few months of their first tooth coming in. This will help you introduce your child to oral care in a relaxed first meeting near Earth City, MO, and will put them on the right path to a healthy smile. The sooner children begin getting regular dental checkups, the healthier their mouths will stay throughout their lives. Early checkups help prevent cavities and tooth decay, which can lead to pain, trouble concentrating, and other medical issues.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reports that over 40 percent of children have decay by the time they reach kindergarten, and 52 percent among kids aged 6 to 8. Tooth decay is the most common chronic disease among kids near Earth City, MO. In order to fight off this decay, your child needs a complete oral health plan from a pediatric dentist near you in Earth City, MO.
Contact us or give us a call at 314-739-1222 for our Maryland Heights office, or 573-764-2425 for our Gerard location now to schedule an appointment near you in Earth City, MO.
Along with our pediatric dental services near you in Earth City, MO, Martin Dental & Associates provides the following services:
- Dental Checkup
- Gum Disease Treatment
- Root Canal
- Teeth Implants
- Pediatric Dentist
- Cosmetic Dentistry Services
- Severe Tooth Pain
- Crowded Teeth
- All on 4 Dental Implants
- Chipped Tooth Repair
Earth City, MO Pediatric Dentist Near Me: Our Pediatric Dental Services
Good oral hygiene, particularly initiated at an early age by a pediatric dentist near you in Earth City, MO, removes bacteria and leftover food particles that, normally would, combine to cause cavities. But cavities aren’t the only things building in your Earth City, MO child’s mouth. Routine pediatric dental checkups every 6 months, as the AAPD recommends, will start your little one on a lifetime of good dental health. The pediatric dental services supplied by Martin Dental & Associates near Earth City, MO, include:
- Earth City, MO Infant Care
- Earth City, MO Tooth Brushing
- Earth City, MO Thumb Sucking
- Crooked Teeth
- Constricted Palate
- Orthodontic Problems
- Speech Issues
- Earth City, MO Tooth Eruption
- Earth City, MO Early Childhood Tooth Decay
- Earth City, MO Cavity Prevention
- Cutback on the frequency of meals and snacks
- Encourage brushing, flossing, and rinsing
- Watch what you drink
- Stay away from sticky foods
- Make treats part of meals
- Select nutritious snacks
- Drink an adequate amount of tap water daily
- Earth City, MO Gum Disease
- Swollen, red, or tender gums
- Gums that bleed easily
- Pus between the teeth and gums
- Bad breath
- Buildup of hard brown deposits along the gumline
- Loose teeth or teeth that are moving apart
- Changes in the way dental appliances fit
- Topical Fluoride — Fluoride is specifically beneficial for your pediatric dentist in preventing cavities and decay, and bolstering tooth enamel near Earth City, MO.
- Dental Sealants — Sealants are great for protecting a child's molars from infection and cavity in Earth City, MO. They are painless and relatively simple to apply, and work to block unwanted particles from entering the crevices of a tooth.
- Root Canal Therapy — Root canals minimize further injury when inflammation, infection, or damage has happened near Earth City, MO. Removing pulp and nerve tissue from within an affected tooth relieves pain, prevents the formation of abscesses, and can stop problems like malocclusion from developing.
- Fillings — Young people near Earth City, MO are more susceptible to tooth decay, plaque, and cavities because they normally are liable to consume more sugary, sticky foods and may not be as devoted to the recommended oral hygiene plan as adults.
- Bonding — Bonding is used for both general and cosmetic dentistry. A resin material almost identical to a natural tooth is shaped, applied, and hardened. It is a quick and simple method to protect an exposed root, and is a common solution for hiding minor chips, cracks, and gaps to give your kid a perfect smile in Earth City, MO. Especially after falling face first into that table.
- Orthodontic & Other Treatments — As your child gets older in Earth City, MO, they might need procedures like mouth guards, space maintainers, or braces to assist in the straightening of their teeth and jaw. As they age, they will likely need wisdom teeth removal. Your pediatric dentist near you in Earth City, MO, Martin Dental & Associates, can supply these services and will work with your child throughout the stages of their dental needs. Reach out to us or call us at 314-739-1222 for our Maryland Heights office, or 573-764-2425 for our Gerard location.
Even before your child gets teeth in Earth City, MO, there are several habits that you should work on to help ensure good oral health. Getting in the pattern of wiping your baby’s mouth with a wet washcloth after nursing/feeding is a great regime to help establish strong oral hygiene in Earth City, MO.
As your baby gets older and teeth erupt, start using a child’s toothbrush with a pea-sized dab of training toothpaste. After age 2, children’s fluoridated toothpaste should be used, but only the size of a grain of rice. By age 3, begin to teach your child to brush. The pediatric dentists and team near you in Earth City, MO, at Martin Dental & Associates will help with the procedure.
Non-nutritive sucking habits cause damage to developing oral cavities in Earth City, MO. These habits can lead to:
There are several ways to help break a thumb or pacifier habit, and our pediatric dentists near Earth City, MO will work with you and your child to give specific strategies to help correct them. In some instances, an orthodontic appliance may be recommended in Earth City, MO
Teeth always seem to erupt according to the circadian rhythm, and go through the greatest amount at nighttime in Earth City, MO. As teeth begin to erupt into the mouth, your child may experience some discomfort or sleepless nights in Earth City, MO. A good amount of individuals believe that teething causes fevers, but, this is just not true.
Many Earth City, MO parents ask our pediatric dentists, “Why worry about baby teeth when they are just going to fall out?” Baby (primary) teeth are important because they not only aid in the function of the oral cavity through chewing and speech development, they help to hold space for the developing permanent teeth. When primary teeth rot, they can cause severe dental pain and abscessed teeth. According to a study by the National Institutes of Health, and another by the CDC, children who have poor oral health miss more school and get lower grades than those who don’t. It is critical for Earth City, MO kids to build strong preventative habits, beginning at an early age with Dr. Martin and his team near Earth City, MO.
By age 3 your child should have all 20 teeth. Between the ages of 5 and 7 the first permanent teeth will begin to erupt. Some of the permanent teeth replace baby teeth and some do not. Most of the time, cavities are due to a diet in sugary foods, drinks, and a lack of brushing. Every time someone eats, an acid reaction occurs inside their mouth as the bacteria digests the sugars. This reaction lasts approximately 20 minutes, during which the acid environment can destroy tooth structure and lead to cavities. Dr. Martin and his pediatric dental staff near Earth City, MO will go over some tips for cavity prevention:
While many individuals think periodontal disease is an adult problem in Earth City, MO, studies indicate that gingivitis is nearly a universal problem among children and adolescents. Gingivitis is avoidable and treatable with a normal routine of brushing, flossing, and professional pediatric dental care near Earth City, MO, from Martin Dental & Associates. Dr. Martin’s signs of gum disease near Earth City, MO, include:
Reach out to us or give us a call at 314-739-1222 for our Maryland Heights office, or 573-764-2425 for our Gerard office now to book an appointment.
Earth City, MO Pediatric Dentist Near Me: Our Pediatric Dental Treatments
The staff at Martin Dental & Associates, the pediatric dentist near you in Earth City, MO, realizes it can be difficult to get a child to cooperate with a dentist or hygienist, particularly after sitting for a long period of time near Earth City, MO. So we know the importance of being able to communicate with your child and build a rapport. Some of the common pediatric dental treatments we use near Earth City, MO, are:
Make an Appointment at the Pediatric Dentist Near Me in Earth City, MO | Martin Dental & Associates
You deserve a pediatric dentist near you in Earth City, MO that you feel comfortable with and trust with your kid’s dental care and overall well-being. From the second you step inside either of our two offices near Earth City, MO, your child’s comfort and satisfaction is our number one priority. Our welcoming and experienced staff will take care of any questions or concerns you might have prior to, during, or following your visit.
Great smiles begin with us, even at an early age. Call us at 314-739-1222 for our Maryland Heights office, or 573-764-2425 for our Gerard location, or contact us online as soon as possible to schedule an appointment. New Earth City, MO patients are welcome at either location.