Frequently Asked Questions

At BCC Pediatric Dentistry, we accept most PPO dental insurance plans, but please contact our office directly to confirm network participation.

Following the recommendation by the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry, we encourage that your child have their first dental visit by the time they turn 1 or within 6 months of their first tooth erupting, whichever is sooner. After that, it’s best if your child sees our local pediatric dentist at least two times a year.

Contrary to popular belief, oral hygiene can begin before teeth have emerged above the gum line. This will mean you are the one cleaning and “brushing”, however, until your child has the ability to hold a toothbrush. 

While you’re waiting for teeth to poke through (usually between 6 and 12 months of age), you can clean your baby’s mouth with a soft, moistened cloth, piece of gauze, or finger-slip silicone toothbrush after each time they are fed or at least twice a day.

Parents should use a tiny smear of fluoride toothpaste to brush baby teeth twice daily as soon as they erupt and a soft, age appropriate sized toothbrush. Once children are 3 to 6 years old, then the amount should be increased to a pea-size dollop and perform or assist your child’s toothbrushing. 

A pediatric dentist has 2-3 years of additional specialty training following dental school and limits his/her practice to treating children only. Pediatric dentists are primary and specialty oral care providers for infants and children through adolescence, including those with special health needs.

Thumb and pacifier-sucking habits will generally only become a problem if they go on for a very long period of time. Most children stop these habits on their own, but if they are still sucking their thumbs or fingers past age 3, a pediatric dental habit appliance may be recommended by our dentist.

To prevent dental decay, avoid nursing children to sleep or putting anything other than water in their bed-time bottles. Also, learn the proper way to brush and floss your child’s teeth. Take your child to see our pediatric dentist regularly to have their teeth and gums checked. The first dental visit should be scheduled by your child’s first birthday.

Toothpaste for children is perfectly fine but it’s important to watch the amount that’s given. For kids under 3, only use a small smear of toothpaste that’s equal to a grain of rice. They should not graduate to a pea-sized amount until they are at least 3. We then recommend sticking to this amount until they turn 6 years old. Children should spit out and not swallow excess toothpaste after brushing.

The American Association of Orthodontists (AAO) recommends that children undergo an early orthodontic evaluation around the time they turn 7 years old. At this age, your child will have a mixture of baby and permanent teeth so an orthodontist can see how they are all coming in and if any problems are forming.

We may recommend your child be evaluated if they have: 

• Lost baby teeth prematurely or later than what’s expected for their age
• Crowded, crooked, or misplaced teeth
• A tendency to breathe through their mouth more than the nose
• Problems with biting the inside of their cheeks or top of the mouth

While dental sealants are not mandatory, they are greatly beneficial to children of various ages. Because of how well sealants act as a shield against cavities, many dentists, including ours, recommend they be placed on molars once they fully erupt. We’ll keep an eye on your child’s dental development each time they come in for a professional teeth cleaning and make the suggestion once the time is right for optimal prevention.