Helping Your Youngest Family Members

Even if your child does not yet have any teeth erupted, we encourage you to bring them within six months of their first birthday. Alternatively, children who do have erupted teeth should be brought to our dental office soon after as teeth can begin to develop decay after they appear. Their first visit will be more dedicated towards making them feel comfortable as well as educating parents on important at-home care tips and treatments to keep in mind later.

It’s very important to stay active, but you shouldn’t have to put your teeth at risk along the way! For example, if you like to get your exercise in through contact sports, including basketball, hockey, football, or another activity where you’re likely to experience a bad fall or two, you must wear a mouthguard or sportsguard. Our dental office can create an oral appliance customized to fit your mouth exactly, ensuring that it feels comfortable to wear and offers proper protection. Store-bought solutions largely can’t compare and we want all patients to walk off the field with their smile complete!

There are some cases where patients are either too young to receive dental fillings or they find it extremely difficult to receive them in the first place. That’s where silver diamine fluoride can prove to be extremely helpful. This type of fluoride not only protects teeth, but stops cavities from developing in their tracks! If your child is suffering from dental hypersensitivity, this topical medication can also help alleviate these symptoms.

If your child has physical or mental limitations that make dental care difficult, just know that we are here to help. Litchfield Smiles cares about your child’s comfort and ensuring their quality of care remains high, which is why we ask that you call us ahead of time so we can prepare proper accommodations when it’s time for their appointment. In the event they should need sedation prior to treatment, we’ll discuss the process in greater detail once you arrive.

Does your child have bad habits, including thumb-sucking or finger-sucking? These habits are a normal part of their neonatal development, but past a certain age, they can be detrimental to your child’s oral health and future smile. If they are sucking their thumb past the age of four, we’re more than happy to guide you and your child to help them break this habit before it affects their erupting teeth.

When a tooth becomes severely damaged, it can easily become exposed to bacteria and lead to an infection. With pulp therapy, our dental office can not only treat the affected tooth to relieve discomfort, but save the tooth from a potential extraction. Whether your child has a baby tooth in need of care or a permanent one, we’ll make them feel comfortable and prepared for treatment so they can live a healthy and happy life.