Family Dentistry in Chico, CA - Dr. Crowson - Chico Family Dentist
Are you are looking for a family dentist in Chico, CA to treat both you and your children? Dr. Steven Crowson provides a wide variety of family dentistry services including dental exams, teeth cleanings, tooth extractions, cavity prevention, and fillings for both children and adults in the community. Our office schedules appointments for children of all ages. We believe that by starting dental care at an early age, it is easier to establish healthy home care habits and prevention methods.
On this page you will find material on the importance of children's dental care as well as links to specific pages. Learning more about these topics will help you make better informed decisions about your child's dental health care needs.
When should children have their first dental visit?
The American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry (AAPD) suggests that parents should make an initial “well-baby” appointment with a family dentist approximately six months after the emergence of the first tooth, or no later than the child’s first birthday. Dr. Crowson even recommends parents bring in their infants to discuss proper home care and cavity prevention techniques. Although this may seem surprisingly early, the incidence of infant and toddler tooth decay has been rising in recent years. Tooth decay and early cavities can be exceptionally painful if they are not attended to immediately, and can also set the scene for poor oral health in later childhood. Furthermore, visiting the dentist at an early age can build pleasant memories and help to avoid dental anxiety in the future.
A family dentist should be viewed as an important source of information, help, and guidance. Oftentimes, they can provide strategies for eliminating unwanted oral habits (for example, pacifier use and thumb sucking) and can also help parents in establishing a sound daily oral routine for the child.
What potential dental problems can babies experience?
A baby is at risk for tooth decay as soon as the first tooth emerges. During the first visit, Dr. Crowson will help parents implement a preventative strategy to protect the baby teeth from harm, and also demonstrate how infant teeth should be brushed and flossed.
In particular, infants who drink breast milk, juice, baby formula, soda, or sweetened water from a baby bottle or sippy cup are at high-risk for early childhood caries (cavities). To counteract this threat, we discourage parents from filling cups with sugary fluids, dipping pacifiers in honey, and transmitting oral bacteria to the child via shared spoons and/or cleaning pacifiers in their own mouths.
Dr. Crowson will also assess and balance the infant’s fluoride intake. Too much fluoride ingestion between the ages of one and four years old may lead to a condition known as fluorosis in later childhood. Conversely, too little fluoride may render young tooth enamel susceptible to tooth decay.
What questions may the family dentist ask during the first visit?
Dr. Crowson will ask questions about current oral care, diet, the general health of the child, the child’s oral habits, and the child’s current fluoride intake.
Once answers to these questions have been established, he can advise parents on the following issues:
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Accident prevention.
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Adding xylitol and fluoride to the infant’s diet.
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Choosing an ADA approved, non-fluoridated brand of toothpaste for the infant.
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Choosing an appropriate toothbrush.
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Choosing an orthodontically correct pacifier.
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Correct positioning of the head during tooth brushing.
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Easing the transition from sippy cup to adult-sized drinking glasses (12-14 months).
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Eliminating fussing during the oral care routine.
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Establishing a drink-free bedtime routine.
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Maintaining good dietary habits.
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Minimizing the risk of tooth decay.
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Reducing sugar and carbohydrate intake.
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Teething and developmental milestones.
If you have further questions or concerns about the timing or nature of your child’s first oral checkup, please ask your Chico family dentist, Dr. Crowson.