Dental Health

• Oral Hygiene
• Child Dentistry
• Periodontal Maintenance
• Dental Specialties

For more information on Cosmetic Dentistry in San Jose, feel free to call our office at 408-279-4337.

Child Dentistry

Your child's first visit

The first "regular" dental visit should be just after your child's third birthday. The first dental visit is usually short and involves very little treatment. We may ask one of the parents to sit in the dental chair and hold their child during the examination. The parents may also be asked to wait in the reception area during part of the visit, so that a relationship can be built between your child and your dentist.

We will gently examine your child's teeth and gums. X-rays may be taken (to reveal decay and check on the progress of your child's permanent teeth under the gums). We may clean your child's teeth and apply topical fluoride to help protect the teeth against decay. We will make sure your child is receiving adequate fluoride at home. Most important of all, we will review with you how to clean and care for your child's teeth.

What should I tell my child about the first dental visit?

We are asked this question many times. We suggest that you prepare your child the same way that you would before his or her first haircut or trip to the shoe store. Your child's reaction to his first visit to the dentist may surprise you.

Here are some "First Visit" tips:

• Take your child for a "preview" or online tour 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 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 sealant technology to protect your child's teeth. Sealants are space-age plastics that are bonded to the chewing surfaces of decay-prone back teeth. This is just one of the ways we will - build the foundation for your child's a lifetime of good oral health.

Cavity prevention

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

Every time someone eats, an acid reaction occurs inside his or her mouth as the bacteria digests the sugars. This reaction lasts approximately 20 minutes. During this time 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.

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. Then 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.