Pediatric Dentist Near Me St. Clair, MO
Pediatric Dentist Near Me St. Clair, MO. It’s no secret that the first few years of parenthood are stressful. Looking, frantically trying to find a “pediatric dentist near me” in St. Clair, 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 St. Clair, 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 St. Clair, MO. Nothing matters more to him than making sure his St. Clair, MO patients’ oral health is taken care of, particularly children.
Our team is ready to serve your St. Clair, MO family’s complete dental needs, making our services as accessible near St. Clair, MO and as affordable as possible. Give us a call at 314-739-1222 for our Maryland Heights location, or 573-764-2425 for our Gerard location, or contact us online today to schedule an appointment. New St. Clair, MO patients are always welcome at either location.
St. Clair, 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 St. Clair, 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 St. Clair, 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 an entire oral health plan from a pediatric dentist near you in St. Clair, MO.
Contact us or give us a call at 314-739-1222 for our Maryland Heights location, or 573-764-2425 for our Gerard office today to schedule an appointment near you in St. Clair, MO.
Along with our pediatric dental services near you in St. Clair, MO, Martin Dental & Associates provides the following services:
St. Clair, 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 St. Clair, 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 St. Clair, MO child’s mouth. Basic pediatric dental checkups twice a year, as the AAPD suggests, will begin your little one on a lifetime of good dental health. The pediatric dental services provided by Martin Dental & Associates near St. Clair, MO, include:
- St. Clair, MO Infant Care
- St. Clair, MO Tooth Brushing
- St. Clair, MO Thumb Sucking
- Crooked Teeth
- Constricted Palate
- Orthodontic Problems
- Speech Issues
- St. Clair, MO Tooth Eruption
- St. Clair, MO Early Childhood Tooth Decay
- St. Clair, MO Cavity Prevention
- Limit frequency of meals and snacks
- Encourage brushing, flossing, and rinsing
- Watch what you drink
- Stay away from sticky foods
- Make treats part of meals
- Choose nutritious snacks
- Drink an adequate amount of tap water daily
- St. Clair, 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 preventing cavities and decay, and bolstering tooth enamel near St. Clair, 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 St. Clair, MO.
- Root Canal Therapy — Root canals minimize further injury when inflammation, infection, or damage has occurred near St. Clair, 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 starting.
- Fillings — Young people near St. Clair, MO are more susceptible to tooth decay, plaque, and cavities because they generally tend to consume more sugary, sticky foods and may not be as faithful 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, applied, and hardened. It is a quick and simple way to cover an exposed root, and is a common solution for masking minor chips, cracks, and gaps to give your kid a perfect smile in St. Clair, MO. Especially after falling face first into that table.
- Orthodontic & Other Treatments — As your child grows in St. Clair, MO, they may 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 St. Clair, MO, Martin Dental & Associates, can provide 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 location.
Even before your child gets teeth in St. Clair, MO, there are several habits that you should work on to help ensure good oral health. Getting in the habit of wiping your baby’s mouth with a wet washcloth after nursing/feeding is a great routine to help in establishing strong oral health in St. Clair, MO.
As your baby grows and teeth erupt, begin using a child’s toothbrush with a small, pea-sized amount of training toothpaste. After age 2, children’s fluoridated toothpaste may 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 St. Clair, MO, at Martin Dental & Associates will assist with the process.
Non-nutritive sucking habits cause damage to developing oral cavities in St. Clair, MO. There are several ways to help break a thumb or pacifier habit, and our pediatric dentists near St. Clair, 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 St. Clair, MO. These habits can lead to:
As teeth begin to erupt into the mouth, your child may experience some discomfort or sleepless nights in St. Clair, MO. Teeth always seem to erupt according to the circadian rhythm, and go through the greatest amount at nighttime in St. Clair, MO. A good amount of individuals believe that teething causes fevers, but, this is just not true.
Many St. Clair, 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 rot, they can cause severe dental pain and abscessed teeth. According to a study by the National Institutes of Health, and another by the CDC, children who have poor oral hygiene miss more school and get worse grades than those who don’t. It is critical for St. Clair, MO kids to cultivate strong preventative habits, starting at an early age with Dr. Martin and his team near St. Clair, MO.
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. 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. Dr. Martin and his pediatric dental staff near St. Clair, MO will go over some tips for cavity prevention:
While many individuals believe periodontal disease is an adult problem in St. Clair, MO, studies show 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 St. Clair, MO, from Martin Dental & Associates. Dr. Martin’s signs of gum disease near St. Clair, MO, are:
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 today to schedule an appointment.
St. Clair, MO Pediatric Dentist Near Me: Our Pediatric Dental Treatments
The staff at Martin Dental & Associates, the pediatric dentist near you in St. Clair, 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 St. Clair, MO. Some of the common pediatric dental treatments we use near St. Clair, MO, include:
Make an Appointment at the Pediatric Dentist Near Me in St. Clair, MO | Martin Dental & Associates
You are entitled to a pediatric dentist near you in St. Clair, MO that you are comfortable with and trust with your kid’s dental care and overall well-being. From the second you step inside either of our two offices near St. Clair, MO, your child’s comfort and satisfaction is our number one goal. Our welcoming and experienced staff will address any questions or concerns you may have prior to, during, or following your visit.
Great smiles begin with us, especially at an early age. Call us at 314-739-1222 for our Maryland Heights location, or 573-764-2425 for our Gerard office, or reach out to us online today to make an appointment. New St. Clair, MO patients are welcome at either locale.