Childrens Dentist in Bellevue for Family Dentistry Services

Children’s Dentistry in Bellevue, WA

Children’s Dentistry Services & Education at Lifetime Smiles

Starting your child on a lifetime of good oral hygiene and health is important. Schedule regular checkups, dental care, and other pediatric dentistry services with Lifetime Smiles. It’s never too early to begin instilling these great habits. Children’s dentistry, also known as pediatric dentistry, is the area focusing on oral healthcare for children. It involves regular checkups to see how teeth are developing, fluoride treatments to prevent cavities, and routine cleanings to keep your child’s teeth healthy, bright, and clean. Your child can also benefit from being educated by our professional staff. The most important dental healthcare steps are taken at home. Checkups/wellness checks can start at year 1 instead of waiting until the third birthday. This is the optimum time to have your child take the first steps on their healthy lifestyle journey! Contact Lifetime Smiles today to schedule your child’s pediatric dentistry appointment at our Bellevue, WA office.

What Can I Expect at My Child’s First Appointment?

Your child’s first dentist visit is an important one. It helps set up future expectations and helps them get comfortable with visiting us at least twice a year for checkups. We take great care in making sure the experience is calm, comforting, easy, and friendly. Our team takes great care to make sure all of our patients are comfortable, no matter the age. If we determine your child needs extra/specialized care, we can provide recommendations of wonderful Pediatric dentists we’re on a referral basis within our community. At your child’s first routine examination, we will:

Thoroughly examine their teeth and gums
Possibly take X-rays to assist in revealing tooth decay and monitor new tooth growth
Clean teeth and apply topical fluoride to protect against decay
Review what we know with you so you can continue healthy oral care at home

Preparing Your Child for Their First Visit to the Dentist

It’s unpredictable to know how your child will react to their first dental visit. We recommend preparing your child the way you would for their first haircut or a trip to the store. If you are nervous or showing signs of unrest, your child will pick up on these emotions and emulate them. So, if you are nervous, the less you say, the better. Phrases like “don’t worry, it won’t hurt” are counterintuitive as they tell your child there is a possibility of being harmed. Instead, stay positive! We’re here to help your child develop healthy dental care patterns and go to great lengths to make sure everyone is comfortable. Don’t worry if your child has some anxiety and reservations about going to the dentist. This is normal. At Lifetime Smiles, we do all we can to create a safe, nurturing, and professional environment for your child. We want them to feel comfortable the second they walk through our doors. By creating a positive experience from the beginning, we hope to encourage your child to know how important staying on top of their oral hygiene is, not just for their smile but overall health as well.

What Can I Do at Home for My Child?

It is rare, but baby teeth can become decayed prior to permanent teeth coming in. To avoid this, clean your child’s teeth and gums regularly. For children younger than three years old, clean teeth with fluoride toothpaste with an amount no larger than a grain of rice. For children three to six years old, increase the amount of toothpaste to a pea-sized amount. Teach and encourage your child to brush twice a day while developing good habits.

When Should I Schedule Their First Appointment?

You should schedule your child’s first appointment within six months of the time they have sprouted their first tooth. This usually happens around their first birthday, but if they haven’t begun teething by this point, we would recommend bringing them in to ensure everything is okay with their development. Even though they are temporary, your child’s first set of teeth can still develop decay. It’s important to keep baby teeth healthy as they can stay in your child’s mouth till 10 or 12 years of age. At your first appointment, we’ll also talk with you about teething and family dental history as well as pacifier use, feeding, sleeping habits, and overall oral hygiene. If you notice your baby has cracked or broken a tooth, clean their mouth with warm water. Apply a cold compress on the face and over the sore spot, then call us. Small chips and cracks in your child’s teeth are not the ends of the world, but it’s better to visit Lifetime Smiles anyway so our team of oral professionals can get a better look at your baby’s tooth and gums.

Lifetime Smiles’ Pediatric Dental Services

At our Bellevue, WA dental practice, we specialize in a wide array of areas for providing our patients with excellent care. With an expert staff and state-of-the-art technology and tools, we’re confident in our abilities. We can deliver comprehensive pediatric care, such as:

Cleaning and fluoride treatments
Infant oral health exams
Diet recommendations
Thumb-sucking and pacifier counseling
Early assessments for correcting improper bites
Repairing tooth cavities
Decay prevention and treatment
Diagnosing oral conditions
Care for dental injuries
Monitoring and managing gum diseases and conditions

Early Detection Via Oral Cancer Screenings

Monitoring oral cancer through screenings is incredibly important. We provide early detection services along with our dental treatments. When we detect oral cancer signs in its early stages, we have the best chance of treating the problem with as little discomfort as possible. This detection also assists by providing minimal issues throughout the treatment process. We encourage integrating oral cancer screening into all your regular checkups. Our dentists will chat with you about your child’s situation. We want to stay ahead of the curve as part of our preventative care for your family.

Dental Care for All Ages

When we start your child with routine dental checkups at our office, our team aims to provide a healthy environment where we can help them grow and develop healthy dental habits. Pediatric dentistry is a vital step in starting your child’s oral health journey. We perform standard and more specialized oral services to repair problems even with pre-existing fillings, wisdom teeth, gum disease, and more. If your child plays sports and requires a customized mouth guard, we’re happy to help. As your child grows older and into their teens, we help with maintaining their oral health. Later on, when they develop their wisdom teeth, our caring staff is here to provide you with vital information. We look forward to creating a relationship with your family that starts at the beginning.

Our Caring and Compassionate Team

At Lifetime Smiles, we regularly treat children’s oral hygiene needs. We believe in encouraging healthy habits from the start, so your children can develop those habits into a happy and healthy life. Dental care is only one portion of your child’s overall health and it’s imperative to start early. Our team is committed to being relaxed and compassionate with your children to help foster a trusting relationship. We adapt our practices to each patient, depending on their needs and comfort. Identifying early warning signs of tooth decay is just as important as instilling a healthy trust in their dentist. First impressions are important, and we know that.

Reach Out to Lifetime Smiles for Further Answers

We understand as a carrying parent, you want the best for your child, which is why we have staffed a team of dental experts with professionalism and kindness as their priorities. They dedicate themselves to practicing safe and effective dental services by staying on top of the latest methods, treatments, and tools available in the industry. If you have any initial concerns about bringing your child to Lifetime Smiles, please give us a call. We’re happy to chat with you about our process before you schedule your child’s first dental appointment with us.