Children's Dental Care

Why are baby teeth so important? They're just going to lose them in a few years right? True and false! Baby teeth are vital to your children's health. They help maintain good nutrition by permitting your child to chew properly. Your child's first set of teeth help in their speech development. Baby teeth are important "place holders" for permanent teeth, they help by forming a path that the permanent teeth can follow when they are ready to erupt. With our Washington pediatric dentists, kids dental care begins by keeping baby teeth healthy, paving the way for strong permanent teeth.

Primary molars remain in your child's mouth until the age of 11-13 years old. Research has shown that children with dental cavities and oral infections have a higher tendency to become sick, lose concentration, and miss more school days due to pain and an increased need for dental visits. Finally, cavities that are left untreated can potentially lead to severe infections!

We've provided a list of things you can do at home to help care for your children's dental health:

Birth to 1 Year

•	After each feeding, wipe your baby's gums and teeth with a damp washcloth or gauze, especially before they sleep
•	Avoid nursing children to sleep or putting anything other than water in their bedtime bottle
•	Never sweeten a pacifier with honey or other sweet substances
•	Take care to clean all surfaces or your child's teeth
•	Lead by example! Take care of your own dental health. Research shows that parents can pass on cavity causing bacteria

1 year to 3 years

•	As your baby reaches their first birthday, encourage drinking from a cup
•	Brush 2 to 3 times a day, start flossing once their teeth are touching

After the age of 3 years

•	Use a pea-sized amount of fluoride toothpaste
•	Use only a soft bristle toothbrush and brush in small circular motions taking care to clean all surfaces of the teeth
•	Brush your child's tongue lightly to remove bacteria and bad breath
•	Have your child rinse with water after brushing
•	Young children have not developed the dexterity to brush on their own effectively and need adult assistance until around the ages of 8 or 9
•	Avoid frequent snacking, and if brushing is not possible after snacking, rinse with water several times
•	Encourage drinking water between meals, try to save juice or milk for mealtimes
•	Healthy snacks! Fresh fruits, vegetables, cheeses and meats, popcorn
•	Avoid sticky foods such as raisins, fruit chews or roll-ups, dried fruits, cookies, chips or lollipops

Please contact us if you have any questions about your child's dental care.

We Look Forward To Meeting You

Our front office staff is happy to discuss our services with you. Our dentists are here to serve your children and teens. For more information, contact one of our multiple Seattle area offices.

Marysville
919 State Ave #104
Marysville, WA 98270
Phone: (360) 659-8100

Lake Stevens
9421 N Davies Road, Suite A,
Lake Stevens, WA 98258
Phone: (425) 367-4149

Monroe
4090 Fryelands Blvd SE, Suite 348, Monroe, WA 98272
Phone: (360) 863-8700

Stanwood
7104 265th Street NW. #110
Stanwood, WA 98292
Phone: (360) 339-8000

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