Pediatric Dentist Near Me Central St. Louis, MO
Pediatric Dentist Near Me Central St. Louis, 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 Central St. Louis, MO should not 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 Central St. Louis, MO area, Martin Dental & Associates is the nearby pediatric dentist you’ve been searching 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 Central St. Louis, MO. Nothing matters more to him than making sure his Central St. Louis, MO patients’ oral health is taken care of, particularly children.
Our team is ready to serve your Central St. Louis, MO family’s complete dental needs, making our services as accessible near Central St. Louis, 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 Central St. Louis, MO patients are always welcome at either location.
Central St. Louis, 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 Central St. Louis, 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 Central St. Louis, 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 stave off this decay, your child needs a complete oral health plan from a pediatric dentist near you in Central St. Louis, MO.
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 location now to schedule an appointment near you in Central St. Louis, MO.
In addition to our pediatric dental services near you in Central St. Louis, 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
Central St. Louis, MO Pediatric Dentist Near Me: Our Pediatric Dental Services
Good oral hygiene, especially initiated at an early age by a pediatric dentist near you in Central St. Louis, MO, gets rid of bacteria and leftover food particles that, without attention would, combine to cause cavities. But cavities aren’t the only things building in your Central St. Louis, MO child’s mouth. Basic pediatric dental checkups twice a year, as the AAPD recommends, will start your little one on a trajectory of good dental health for life. The pediatric dental services provided by Martin Dental & Associates near Central St. Louis, MO, include:
- Central St. Louis, MO Infant Care
- Central St. Louis, MO Tooth Brushing
- Central St. Louis, MO Thumb Sucking
- Crooked Teeth
- Constricted Palate
- Orthodontic Problems
- Speech Issues
- Central St. Louis, MO Tooth Eruption
- Central St. Louis, MO Early Childhood Tooth Decay
- Central St. Louis, MO Cavity Prevention
- Limit frequency of meals and snacks
- Encourage brushing, flossing, and rinsing
- Watch what you drink
- Avoid sticky foods
- Make treats part of meals
- Select nutritious snacks
- Drink an adequate amount of tap water daily
- Central St. Louis, 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 particularly beneficial for your pediatric dentist in preventing cavities and decay, and strengthening tooth enamel near Central St. Louis, MO.
- Dental Sealants — Sealants are painless and relatively simple to apply, and work to block unwanted particles from entering the crevices of a tooth. They are great for protecting a child's molars from infection and cavity in Central St. Louis, MO.
- Root Canal Therapy — Root canals diminish further harm when inflammation, infection, or damage has happened near Central St. Louis, MO. Removing pulp and nerve tissue from within a damaged tooth soothes pain, prevents the formation of abscesses, and can avert issues like malocclusion from starting.
- Fillings — Children near Central St. Louis, MO are more prone to tooth decay, plaque, and cavities because they generally are liable to eat more sugary, sticky foods and may not be as staunch to the suggested oral hygiene program as adults.
- Bonding — Bonding is used for both general and cosmetic dentistry. A resin material almost identical to a natural tooth is shaped, inserted, and hardened. It is a quick and easy way to cover an exposed root, and is a popular solution for masking minor chips, cracks, and gaps to give your child a perfect smile in Central St. Louis, MO. Especially after falling face first into that table.
- Orthodontic & Other Treatments — As your child gets older in Central St. Louis, MO, they might need things like mouth guards, space maintainers, or braces to assist in the straightening of their teeth and jaw. As they age, they will likely need wisdom teeth removal. Your pediatric dentist near you in Central St. Louis, MO, Martin Dental & Associates, can provide these services and will work with your child throughout the stages of their dental needs. 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.
Even before your child gets teeth in Central St. Louis, MO, there are several habits that you should work on to help ensure good oral health. Getting in the habit of cleaning your baby’s mouth with a wet washcloth after nursing/feeding is a great routine to help establish strong oral hygiene in Central St. Louis, MO.
As your baby gets older and teeth erupt, start using a child’s toothbrush with a small, pea-sized dab of training toothpaste. After age 2, children’s fluoridated toothpaste should be used, but only 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 Central St. Louis, MO, at Martin Dental & Associates will assist with the procedure.
Non-nutritive sucking habits cause damage to developing oral cavities in Central St. Louis, MO. These habits can lead to:
There are several ways to help break a thumb or pacifier habit, and our pediatric dentists near Central St. Louis, 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 Central St. Louis, MO
Teeth always seem to erupt according to the circadian rhythm, and go through the greatest amount at nighttime in Central St. Louis, MO. As teeth begin to erupt into the mouth, your child may experience some discomfort or sleepless nights in Central St. Louis, MO. Many individuals believe that teething causes fevers, however, this is simply not true.
Many Central St. Louis, 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 worse grades than those who don’t. It is critical for Central St. Louis, MO kids to develop strong preventative habits, starting at an early age with Dr. Martin and his team near Central St. Louis, 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 staff near Central St. Louis, MO will go over some tips for cavity prevention:
While many people believe periodontal disease is an adult problem in Central St. Louis, MO, studies indicate that gingivitis is nearly a universal problem among children and adolescents. Gingivitis is preventable and treatable with a steady routine of brushing, flossing, and professional pediatric dental care near Central St. Louis, MO, from Martin Dental & Associates. Dr. Martin’s symptoms of gum disease near Central St. Louis, MO, are:
Reach out to us or call us at 314-739-1222 for our Maryland Heights location, or 573-764-2425 for our Gerard location now to schedule an appointment.
Central St. Louis, MO Pediatric Dentist Near Me: Our Pediatric Dental Treatments
The staff at Martin Dental & Associates, the pediatric dentist near you in Central St. Louis, 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 Central St. Louis, MO. Some of the common pediatric dental treatments we use near Central St. Louis, MO, are:
Make an Appointment at the Pediatric Dentist Near Me in Central St. Louis, MO | Martin Dental & Associates
You are entitled to a pediatric dentist near you in Central St. Louis, MO that you are comfortable with and trust with your kid’s dental care and overall well-being. From the moment you walk inside either of our two offices near Central St. Louis, MO, your child’s comfort and satisfaction is our number one goal. Our cordial and experienced staff will take care of any questions or concerns you may have before, during, or after your visit.
Great smiles begin with us, even at an early age. Give us a call at 314-739-1222 for our Maryland Heights office, or 573-764-2425 for our Gerard office, or reach out to us online as soon as possible to make an appointment. New Central St. Louis, MO patients are welcome at either location.