Pediatric Dentistry

Your child’s first visit

We recommend that children begin seeing Dr. Funke once the first teeth enter the mouth. For children two years and younger, Dr. Funke will provide a knee to knee examination on a lap board with you and your child. He will examine the mouth and teeth. During the exam, he will also screen for lip and tongue tie. He will review proper oral hygiene and diet, assess for proper dental growth and development, and any other dental questions you may have. Parents are encouraged to schedule their young child’s first appointment at the same time as the parent’s routine dental cleaning.

Children over two years of age are scheduled separately with our hygienists. During your child’s first visit, our hygienist will give them a “ride” in the dental chair and introduce the child to the different instruments we use like our “Mr. Squirter” and “Mr. Slurpy”, as well as the masks and gloves that we wear (our dental costumes!). Dr. Funke will come into the room and do an examination looking for cavities and possible future problems with the bite. The most important outcome of this visit is for your child to have fun and become comfortable with us and the instruments that we use, so that we may provide them with a life-long desire for healthy teeth and gums.

Here are some “First Visit” tips:

  • Take your child for a “preview” of the office.
  • Read books with them about going to the dentist.
  • Review with them what the dentist will be doing at the time of the first visit.
  • Speak positively about your own dental experiences.

During your first visit the dentist will:

  • Examine your child’s mouth, teeth, and gums.
  • Evaluate adverse habits like thumb sucking.
  • Check to see if you need fluoride.
  • Teach you about cleaning your teeth and gums.
  • Suggest a schedule for regular dental visits.

What about preventative care?

Tooth decay and children no longer have to go hand in hand. At our office, we are most concerned with all aspects of preventive care. We use the latest in dental sealant technology to protect your child’s teeth. Dental sealants a great way to help protect your child’s permanent teeth as they erupt into the mouth. This is just one of the ways we will set the foundation for your child’s lifetime of good oral health.

Cavity prevention

Most of the time cavities are due to a diet high in sugary foods and improper or lack of brushing. Limiting sugar intake and brushing regularly, of course, can help. The longer it takes your child to chew their food and the longer the residue stays on their teeth, the greater the chances of getting cavities.

Every time someone eats, an acid reaction occurs inside their mouth as the bacteria digests the sugars. This reaction lasts approximately 20 minutes. During this time the acid environment can destroy the tooth structure, eventually leading to cavities.

Consistency of a person’s saliva also makes a difference; thinner saliva breaks up and washes away food more quickly. When a person eats diets high in carbohydrates and sugars they tend to have thicker saliva, which in turn allows more of the acid-producing bacteria that can cause cavities.

Tips for cavity prevention

  • Limit the frequency of meals and snacks.
  • Encourage brushing, flossing, and rinsing.
  • Watch what your child drinks.
  • Avoid giving your child sticky foods.
  • Make treats part of meals.
  • Choose nutritious snacks.

The first baby teeth that come into the mouth are the two bottom front teeth. You will notice this when your baby is about 6-8 months old. Next to follow will be the 4 upper front teeth and the remainder of your baby’s teeth will appear periodically. They will usually appear in pairs along the sides of the jaw until the child is about 2 1/2 years old.

At around 2 1/2 years old your child should have all 20 teeth. Between the ages of 5 and 6, the first permanent teeth will begin to erupt. Some of the permanent teeth replace baby teeth and some don’t. Don’t worry if some teeth are a few months early or late as all children are different.

Baby teeth are important as they not only hold space for permanent teeth but they are important to chewing, biting, speech and appearance. For this reason, it is important to maintain a healthy diet and daily hygiene.