​Why is it important to take care of baby teeth?
Won’t my child just lose them anyway?
Children will have all of their primary teeth up until the age of 6, and then they will start losing them and begin to get their adult teeth. Primary teeth are guides and place-holders for permanent teeth. They are also vital to your child's health and speech, as they help a child chew and speak clearly. Children who have to have extractions of primary teeth from decay, primarily from poor home care and frequent sugar exposures at night, are at a higher risk of orthodontic irregularities (malocclusion). Malocclusion in children put them at a higher risk of needing orthodontics or braces at an older age.
 
When does my child need to see a dentist and how do I take care of his/her teeth?
Our staff at MCHD Dentistry would like to see your child by age 1 (and so does the American Dental Association). Even if he/she only has a few teeth, that's ok! We use our time with the parents and children at their first dental visit to begin a lifelong relationship and give parents tips on how to take care of their child's teeth, such as:

• Children should have their teeth brushed 2xday by a parent/guardian, once in the morning and once at night.
• Children should not take anything to bed to drink with them, unless it is water. Absolutely no milk, juice or soda should be given to the child in his/her crib.
• Children should only have limited amounts of sugary drinks, like juice, tea, milk, and soda, during the day. Parents should try their best to limit those sugary drink exposures to mealtimes, thus lessening the negative effects of sugar and acid. 

 
It is very important to teach your child to take care of his/her teeth at an early age. Primary teeth are just as important as permanent teeth and they should be well taken care of! Call 304-598-5108 to schedule your child's first dental visit today!

​We can’t wait to meet you and your whole family!

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​Many years ago, fluoride was shown to have a significant impact on reducing tooth decay. One form of fluoride delivery used in dental offices is through the application of a  fluoride varnish. At MCHD Dentistry this is our preferred method of delivery to provide cavity protection for our pediatric and adult patients.

Watch this MCHD Dentistry video to see how quick and easy it is to apply a fluoride varnish on a pediatric dental patient.

Dentists commonly talk with patients about avoiding sugary and acidic drinks to help reduce tooth decay.  One of the most important concepts I stress to patients is that the frequency in which they have sugary drinks is extremely important. 
 
How many of you will buy a 20 oz. soda from the convenience store and try to make that soda “last” for a long time?  I am guilty of this behavior too.  And, diet soda is not a safe alternative due to the amount of acid it contains.  The problem for our teeth is that it takes our saliva about 20 minutes to wash the sugar and acid away from our teeth.  So, if someone has a sip of soda one minute, then waits 10 minutes and has another sip, their teeth will feel like they are constantly sitting in soda.  
 
This “sipping” problem is not limited to adults, nor is it limited to soda.  Any liquid that has sugar or acid in it can contribute to decay.  One of the toughest things for a dentist to deal with is something called “baby bottle decay” which occurs with very young children, typically ages 1-3.  Baby bottle decay is almost always caused when a baby goes to bed with a bottle of milk in the crib.  Since the baby has access to the bottle and wakes up several times throughout the night to get a drink of milk, these frequent sugar exposures will cause decay.  This is similar in nature to an adult sipping on soda throughout the day. 
 
School aged children are no different.  I always caution parents to be mindful of what and HOW their child eats when they get home from school.  If your child sips on a flavored drink between getting home from school and suppertime, you need to be aware of the risk of this.  Even things like orange juice and apple juice contain sugar and acid.  Encourage your child to have these drinks with meals instead of sipping on them in between meals.  When having sugary drinks at meal time, it tends to decrease the effects due to increases in salivary flow. 
 
I don’t expect my patients to ONLY drink water, that is unrealistic and who wants to live like that?  BUT, you need to be smart with how you have different drinks.  A good rule of thumb we stress at MCHD Dentistry is to drink water in between meals, and if you want to have a sugary or acidic drink, try to have those with meals.  

“Knee to Knee” is a technique used by dentists and dental hygienists when examining young patients.  At MCHD Dentistry, we sometimes use this safe technique on children under the age of 3. Knee to knee allows our team at MCHD Dentistry to thoroughly and effectively examine your child’s teeth in a safe and secure manner. 

Remember, your child should have their first dental visit on their first birthday.  A child’s first visit to the dentist should be a fun and safe experience.  At MCHD Dentistry, we always enjoy seeing children when they are 1 year old.  It is a great opportunity to establish your child with our dental office and it gives the parents a chance to ask any questions they have about their child’s teeth. 
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My son just turned one year old and he had his first visit.  It was a fun experience for him, me and my wife.  Please watch this short video to see how the knee to knee technique was used for him.