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Most of our patients know that their babies, toddlers, and young children can see a pediatric dentist.  Pediatric dentists go through extra training and have more experience working with young and growing teeth.  But when should your growing child start seeing a regular dentist like you do?

In general, pediatric dentists see patients from aged 0 to 18 year old.  Like pediatric doctors, we specialize in taking care of young teeth, and even in the high school years, your child's teeth are changing.  We recommend seeing a normal dentist after 18 years of age.

As your pediatric dentist in Tucson, we want to help you understand all aspects of your child's dental care.  Feel free to call us at (520) 544-8522.

After years of taking care of baby teeth, parents may wonder what happens when a child begins to show permanent teeth.  Here's some information on what to expect.

While most children have 20 baby (primary) teeth (10 on top and 10 below), your child will eventually get 32 permanent teeth (16 on top and 16 below).  Your child's baby teeth will naturally loosen to make way for the permanent teeth that replace them.  Some teeth, especially the molars, will come in without a baby tooth holding its place.  You will see this molar appear around 6-7 years of age.

Your child will be using these teeth throughout the rest of his or her lifetime, so it's good to use proper hygiene even at a young age.  Brushing twice a day, flossing once a day, and scheduling regular dental visits will help keep your child's smile bright now and well into adulthood.

As your pediatric dentist in Tucson, we want to help you understand all aspects of your child's dental care.  Feel free to call us at (520) 544-8522.

When you were young and visiting a dentist, you may have only gotten 1 or 2 x-rays.  Now you may notice that dentists use them more frequently.  Why is that?

Radiographs (x-rays) are an important tool in providing your child with a thorough examination. There are many preventable problems that we can't see unless we used x-rays.  Since we pride ourselves on catching problems before they become serious, x-rays are a useful tool to meet those ends.

At Northwest Children's Dentistry, we use digital radiography and shielding, which minimizes your child’s exposure to radiation. The number and frequency of radiographs is tailored to each child’s individual risk assessment.

As your pediatric dentist in Tucson, we want to help you understand all aspects of your child's dental care.  Feel free to call us at (520) 544-8522.

Lots of parents know to start brushing as soon as their infant's teeth emerge, but what about flossing?  We receive many questions about when it's time to start flossing your child.

As a rule of thumb, you should floss your infant or toddler once the space between their teeth become close enough that simple brushing won't remove food particles.  This time can vary from child to child.  Being proactive about brushing your child's teeth twice a day will help you identify when the exact time is right for your child.  If you're not sure, you can always visit Northwest Children's Dentistry for an evaluation.

On the same token, it doesn't hurt to "practice flossing" so that your child is used to the process even at an early age.  You can floss your child's teeth even with large gaps once a week just so they're used to the sensation.  This can help smooth the transition when they should be flossing every day.

As your pediatric dentist in Tucson, we want to help you understand all aspects of your child's dental care.  Feel free to call us at (520) 544-8522.