Pediatric Dentist Near Me Spanish Lake, MO
Pediatric Dentist Near Me Spanish Lake, MO. The first few years of parenthood are stressful, to say the least. Looking, frantically trying to find a “pediatric dentist near me” in Spanish Lake, MO should not 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 convenient locations in the Spanish Lake, MO area, Martin Dental & Associates is the pediatric dentist near you that 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 Spanish Lake, MO. Nothing matters more to him than making sure his Spanish Lake, MO patients’ oral health is taken care of, particularly children.
Our team is ready to serve your Spanish Lake, MO family’s complete dental needs, making our services as accessible near Spanish Lake, MO and as affordable as possible. Give us a call at 314-739-1222 for our Maryland Heights location, or 573-764-2425 for our Gerard office, or contact us online today to schedule an appointment. New Spanish Lake, MO patients are always welcome at either location.
Spanish Lake, 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 Spanish Lake, 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 Spanish Lake, MO. In order to fight off this decay, your child needs a complete oral health plan from a pediatric dentist near you in Spanish Lake, MO.
Reach out to us or give us a call at 314-739-1222 for our Maryland Heights location, or 573-764-2425 for our Gerard office today to book an appointment near you in Spanish Lake, MO.
In addition to our pediatric dental services near you in Spanish Lake, MO, Martin Dental & Associates provides the following services:
Spanish Lake, MO Pediatric Dentist Near Me: Our Pediatric Dental Services
Good oral hygiene, especially started at an early age by a pediatric dentist near you in Spanish Lake, MO, gets rid of bacteria and leftover food particles that, without attention would, combine to cause cavities. But cavities aren’t the only things going on in your Spanish Lake, MO child’s mouth. Routine pediatric dental checkups every 6 months, as the AAPD recommends, will begin your child on a lifetime of good dental health. The pediatric dental services provided by Martin Dental & Associates near Spanish Lake, MO, include:
- Spanish Lake, MO Infant Care
- Spanish Lake, MO Tooth Brushing
- Spanish Lake, MO Thumb Sucking
- Crooked Teeth
- Constricted Palate
- Orthodontic Problems
- Speech Issues
- Spanish Lake, MO Tooth Eruption
- Spanish Lake, MO Early Childhood Tooth Decay
- Spanish Lake, MO Cavity Prevention
- Limit frequency of meals and snacks
- Encourage brushing, flossing, and rinsing
- Watch what you drink
- Avoid sticky foods
- Make treats part of meals
- Pick nutritious snacks
- Drink an adequate amount of tap water daily
- Spanish Lake, 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 especially helpful for your pediatric dentist in avoiding cavities and decay, and strengthening tooth enamel near Spanish Lake, MO.
- Dental Sealants — Sealants are great for protecting a child's molars from infection and cavity in Spanish Lake, 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 diminish further harm when inflammation, infection, or damage has happened near Spanish Lake, MO. Removing pulp and nerve tissue from within a damaged tooth soothes pain, prevents the formation of abscesses, and can avert problems like malocclusion from starting.
- Fillings — Children near Spanish Lake, MO are more prone to tooth decay, plaque, and cavities because they normally tend to consume more sugary, sticky foods and may not be as staunch to the suggested oral hygiene program as adults.
- Bonding — Bonding is used for both general and cosmetic dentistry. A resin material similar in appearance 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 pristine smile in Spanish Lake, MO. Particularly after falling face first into that table.
- Orthodontic & Other Treatments — As your child gets older in Spanish Lake, MO, they may need things like mouth guards, space maintainers, or braces to assist in the alignment of their teeth and jaw. As they get older, they will likely need wisdom teeth removal. Your pediatric dentist near you in Spanish Lake, MO, Martin Dental & Associates, can provide 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 office.
Even before your child gets teeth in Spanish Lake, MO, there are several habits that you should work on to help ensure good oral health. Getting in the practice of cleaning your baby’s mouth with a wet washcloth after nursing/feeding is a great routine to help establish strong oral hygiene in Spanish Lake, MO.
As your baby grows and teeth erupt, start using a child’s toothbrush with a small, pea-sized amount 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 Spanish Lake, MO, at Martin Dental & Associates will help with the procedure.
Non-nutritive sucking habits cause damage to developing oral cavities in Spanish Lake, MO. These habits can lead to:
There are several ways to help break a thumb or pacifier habit, and our pediatric dentists near Spanish Lake, 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 Spanish Lake, MO
Teeth always seem to erupt according to the circadian rhythm, and go through the greatest amount at nighttime in Spanish Lake, MO. As teeth begin to erupt into the mouth, your child may experience some discomfort or sleepless nights in Spanish Lake, MO. A good amount of people believe that teething may cause a fever, but, this is simply not true.
Many Spanish Lake, 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 lead to 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 are absent from school and get worse grades than those who don’t. It is critical for Spanish Lake, MO children to cultivate solid preventative habits, beginning at an early age with Dr. Martin and his team near Spanish Lake, 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 team near Spanish Lake, MO will go over some tips for cavity prevention:
While many individuals think periodontal disease is an adult problem in Spanish Lake, MO, studies show that gingivitis is nearly a universal problem among children and adolescents. Gingivitis is avoidable and treatable with a regular routine of brushing, flossing, and professional pediatric dental care near Spanish Lake, MO, from Martin Dental & Associates. Dr. Martin’s symptoms of gum disease near Spanish Lake, MO, are:
Reach out to us or give us a call at 314-739-1222 for our Maryland Heights location, or 573-764-2425 for our Gerard location today to book an appointment.
Spanish Lake, MO Pediatric Dentist Near Me: Our Pediatric Dental Treatments
The staff at Martin Dental & Associates, the pediatric dentist near you in Spanish Lake, MO, knows the importance of being able to communicate with your child and build a rapport. We realize 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 Spanish Lake, MO. Some of the common pediatric dental treatments we use near Spanish Lake, MO, include:
Make an Appointment at the Pediatric Dentist Near Me in Spanish Lake, MO | Martin Dental & Associates
You are entitled to a pediatric dentist near you in Spanish Lake, MO that you feel comfortable with and trust with your child’s dental care and overall well-being. From the minute you step inside either of our two offices near Spanish Lake, MO, your child’s comfort and happiness is our number one priority. Our cordial and experienced staff will take care of any questions or concerns you might have prior to, during, or after your visit.
Great smiles begin with us, especially at an early age. Give us a call at 314-739-1222 for our Maryland Heights location, or 573-764-2425 for our Gerard location, or reach out to us online today to make an appointment. New Spanish Lake, MO patients are welcome at either location.