What Does a Family Dentist Do? | Reseda CA
Family dentistry is an approach to oral health care where all your needs can be met at every stage of life. Babies, children, teenagers, and adults have different dental needs at different points in time. A qualified family dentist is skilled in providing comprehensive oral care for both baby teeth and permanent teeth, as well as any tooth restorations or replacements you may require at any point in life.
Choosing a Family Dentist
Like general dentists, your family dentist focuses on ensuring good oral hygiene and optimal condition of your teeth. However, this dental professional can address the unique needs of people of all ages for a number of conditions. Common procedures include:
- Regular professional cleanings
- Dental fillings and crowns
- Gum disease treatment
- Tooth extraction
- Root canal therapy
- Tooth replacement
- Teeth whitening
- Smile makeover
- Orthodontic care
The American Dental Association recommends that you take your child for a dental checkup as soon as the first tooth appears, or by the first birthday. This is important to prevent the most common dental problem for children, early childhood cavities, and other oral issues that can affect your child’s smile, especially by the age of four years.
Preparing Your Child for Their First Visit
As you prepare for your child’s first visit to the family dentist, you should create a list of any medical conditions, current medications, and allergies your child has. You should also note down your pediatrician’s contact information in case the dentist needs more information. In addition, it’s important to note down any harmful dental habits that your child has picked and may affect his/her smile in the long run. Sucking habits, whether it’s a finger, bottle, or pacifier may adversely affect the development of primary teeth and the jaw, and should be corrected as early as possible.
Dental visits also provide the opportunity to learn about best oral hygiene practices. Depending on your child’s age when visiting the family dentist, there are different things you may want to learn about taking care of his/her mouth. This is an important time to find out about preventative oral care, including proper brushing technique, flossing, diet, the use of sealants, fluoride treatments, and so on.
By finding a qualified family dentist near you, you can have peace of mind that all your family’s oral health needs will be met under one roof, with consistent dental history.
Schedule your family dentistry appointment by contacting your dentist in Reseda CA to learn more about the benefits of maintaining your oral health.