Pediatric Dentist Near Me Bellerive, MO
Pediatric Dentist Near Me Bellerive, MO. It’s no secret that the first few years of parenthood are stressful. Looking, manically attempting to find a “pediatric dentist near me” in Bellerive, MO shouldn’t be adding to that pull-your-hair-out or hit-the-roof level of stress. We’re here to help. With over 30 years of experience, along with two convenient locations in the Bellerive, MO area, Martin Dental & Associates is the nearby pediatric dentist you’ve been looking for.
Dr. John Martin is the dentist on staff at Ranken Jordan Pediatric Hospital, providing free pediatric dental services for the children they serve. He and his team of pediatric dentists, hygienists, and staff is committed to providing top-quality dental care near you in Bellerive, MO. Nothing matters more to him than making sure his Bellerive, MO patients’ oral health is taken care of, particularly children.
Our team is ready to serve your Bellerive, MO family’s complete dental needs, making our services as accessible near Bellerive, MO and as affordable as possible. Call us at 314-739-1222 for our Maryland Heights office, or 573-764-2425 for our Gerard office, or contact us online today to schedule an appointment. New Bellerive, MO patients are always welcome at either location.
Bellerive, MO Pediatric Dentist Near Me: What Is a Pediatric Dentist and When Do I Need One?
Pediatric dentists are specialists dedicated to the oral health of children, from infancy throughout the various stages of childhood and teenage years. They have an extra two to three years of specialized training after dental school. Some of this training includes:
- Advanced diagnostic and surgical procedures
- Oral pathology
- Child development
- Clinical management
- Child psychology
- Child-related pharmacology and radiology
- Management of oral and facial trauma
- Care for young patients with special needs
- General anesthesia for children
The American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry recommends that parents establish a pediatric dental home for their child by their first birthday, or within a few months of their first tooth coming in. This will help you introduce your child to oral care in a relaxed first meeting near Bellerive, MO, and will put them on the right path to a healthy smile. The sooner children begin getting regular dental checkups, the healthier their mouths will stay throughout their lives. Early checkups help prevent cavities and tooth decay, which can lead to pain, trouble concentrating, and other medical issues.
Tooth decay is the most common chronic disease among kids near Bellerive, MO. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reports that 40 percent of children have decay by the time they reach kindergarten, and 52 percent among kids aged 6 to 8. In order to fight off this decay, your child needs a complete oral health plan from a pediatric dentist near you in Bellerive, MO.
Reach out to us or give us a call at 314-739-1222 for our Maryland Heights location, or 573-764-2425 for our Gerard location now to book an appointment near you in Bellerive, MO.
In addition to our pediatric dental services near you in Bellerive, MO, Martin Dental & Associates provides the following services:
- Pediatric Dentist
- Cosmetic Dentistry Services
- Severe Tooth Pain
- Crowded Teeth
- All on 4 Dental Implants
- Chipped Tooth Repair
- Best Dentist Near Me
- Dental Surgeon Near Me
- Wisdom Teeth Surgery
- Invisalign
Bellerive, MO Pediatric Dentist Near Me: Our Pediatric Dental Services
Good oral hygiene, particularly initiated at an early age by a pediatric dentist near you in Bellerive, MO, removes bacteria and leftover food particles that, normally would, combine to create cavities. But cavities aren’t the only things building in your Bellerive, MO child’s mouth. Routine pediatric dental checkups twice a year, as the AAPD recommends, will put your child on a trajectory of good dental health for life. The pediatric dental services provided by Martin Dental & Associates near Bellerive, MO, include:
- Bellerive, MO Infant Care
- Bellerive, MO Tooth Brushing
- Bellerive, MO Thumb Sucking
- Crooked Teeth
- Constricted Palate
- Orthodontic Problems
- Speech Issues
- Bellerive, MO Tooth Eruption
- Bellerive, MO Early Childhood Tooth Decay
- Bellerive, MO Cavity Prevention
- Cutback on the frequency of meals and snacks
- Encourage brushing, flossing, and rinsing
- Watch what you drink
- Avoid sticky foods
- Make treats part of meals
- Choose nutritious snacks
- Drink an adequate amount of tap water daily
- Bellerive, MO Gum Disease
- Swollen, red, or tender gums
- Gums that bleed easily
- Pus between the teeth and gums
- Bad breath
- Buildup of hard brown deposits along the gumline
- Loose teeth or teeth that are moving apart
- Changes in the way dental appliances fit
- Topical Fluoride — Fluoride is specifically beneficial for your pediatric dentist in avoiding cavities and decay, and strengthening tooth enamel near Bellerive, MO.
- Dental Sealants — Sealants are great for protecting a child's molars from infection and cavity in Bellerive, MO. They are painless and relatively simple to apply, and work to block unwanted particles from entering the crevices of a tooth.
- Root Canal Therapy — Root canals minimize further injury when inflammation, infection, or damage has occurred near Bellerive, MO. Getting rid of pulp and nerve tissue from within an affected tooth alleviates pain, prevents the formation of abscesses, and can avert issues like malocclusion from developing.
- Fillings — Children near Bellerive, MO are more susceptible to tooth decay, plaque, and cavities because they generally tend to eat more sugary, sticky foods and may not be as staunch to the recommended oral hygiene program as adults.
- Bonding — Bonding is used for both general and cosmetic dentistry. A resin material similar in appearance to a natural tooth is shaped, applied, and hardened. It is a quick and simple method to protect an exposed root, and is a popular solution for hiding minor chips, cracks, and gaps to give your kid a perfect smile in Bellerive, MO. Particularly after falling face first into that table.
- Orthodontic & Other Treatments — As your child gets older in Bellerive, MO, they might need things like mouth guards, space maintainers, or braces to assist in the alignment of their teeth and jaw. As they age, they will likely need wisdom teeth removal. Your pediatric dentist near you in Bellerive, MO, Martin Dental & Associates, can supply these services and will work with your child throughout the stages of their dental needs. Contact us or call us at 314-739-1222 for our Maryland Heights office, or 573-764-2425 for our Gerard office.
Even before your child gets teeth in Bellerive, MO, there are several habits that you should work on to help ensure good oral health. Starting the pattern of cleaning your baby’s mouth with a wet washcloth after nursing/feeding is a great routine to help in establishing strong oral hygiene in Bellerive, MO.
As your baby gets older and teeth erupt, start using a child’s toothbrush with a pea-sized amount of training toothpaste. After age 2, children’s fluoridated toothpaste should be used, but limited to the size of a grain of rice. By age 3, begin to teach your child to brush. The pediatric dentists and team near you in Bellerive, MO, at Martin Dental & Associates will help with the process.
Non-nutritive sucking habits cause damage to developing oral cavities in Bellerive, MO. There are several ways to help break a thumb or pacifier habit, and our pediatric dentists near Bellerive, MO will work with you and your child to give specific strategies to help correct them. In some instances, an orthodontic appliance may be recommended in Bellerive, MO. These habits can lead to:
As teeth begin to erupt into the mouth, your child may experience some discomfort or sleepless nights in Bellerive, MO. Teeth always seem to erupt according to the circadian rhythm, and go through the greatest amount at nighttime in Bellerive, MO. A good amount of individuals believe that teething causes fevers, but, this is simply not true.
Many Bellerive, MO parents ask our pediatric dentists, “Why worry about baby teeth when they are just going to fall out?” Baby (primary) teeth are important because they not only aid in the function of the oral cavity through chewing and speech development, they help to hold space for the developing permanent teeth. When primary teeth get decay, they can lead to dental pain and abscessed teeth. According to a study by the National Institutes of Health, and an additional one by the CDC, children who have poor oral hygiene are absent from school and receive lower grades than those who don’t. It is vital for Bellerive, MO kids to develop solid preventative habits, beginning at an early age with Dr. Martin and his staff near Bellerive, MO.
Most of the time, cavities are due to a diet in sugary foods, drinks, and a lack of brushing. Every time someone eats, an acid reaction occurs inside their mouth as the bacteria digests the sugars. This reaction lasts approximately 20 minutes, during which the acid environment can destroy tooth structure and lead to cavities. By age 3 your child should have all 20 teeth. Between the ages of 5 and 7 the first permanent teeth will begin to erupt. Some of the permanent teeth replace baby teeth and some do not. Dr. Martin and his pediatric dental team near Bellerive, MO will go over some tips for cavity prevention:
While many individuals think periodontal disease is an adult problem in Bellerive, MO, studies show that gingivitis is essentially a universal problem among children and adolescents. Gingivitis is preventable and treatable with a normal routine of brushing, flossing, and professional pediatric dental care near Bellerive, MO, from Martin Dental & Associates. Dr. Martin’s symptoms of gum disease near Bellerive, MO, include:
Reach out to us or give us a call at 314-739-1222 for our Maryland Heights office, or 573-764-2425 for our Gerard office now to book an appointment.
Bellerive, MO Pediatric Dentist Near Me: Our Pediatric Dental Treatments
The staff at Martin Dental & Associates, the pediatric dentist near you in Bellerive, MO, knows the importance of being able to communicate with your child and build a rapport. We realize it can be difficult to get a child to cooperate with a dentist or hygienist, particularly after sitting for a long period of time near Bellerive, MO. Some of the common pediatric dental treatments we use near Bellerive, MO, include:
Make an Appointment at the Pediatric Dentist Near Me in Bellerive, MO | Martin Dental & Associates
You deserve a pediatric dentist near you in Bellerive, MO that you are at ease with and trust with your kid’s dental care and overall well-being. From the minute you walk inside either of our two offices near Bellerive, MO, your child’s comfort and satisfaction is our number one priority. Our welcoming and experienced staff will address any questions or concerns you might have before, during, or following your visit.
Great smiles begin with us, even at an early age. Call us at 314-739-1222 for our Maryland Heights office, or 573-764-2425 for our Gerard location, or reach out to us online as soon as possible to make an appointment. New Bellerive, MO patients are welcome at either locale.