Family Dentist in Lincoln NE | Gentle Care For All Ages

Coddington Dental

Children’s Dentistry in Lincoln, NE

Creating Bright, Healthy Smiles.

Our West Lincoln NE dentists teach parents the importance of primary (baby) teeth regarding the overall health of young children. Our dentists in Lincoln NE recommend taking your child to the dentist by age one or when the first baby tooth appears and understand how vital that first dental visit is for the whole family. It is crucial to the entire team at Coddington Dental to make your child feel comfortable. It’s also important to educate parents and guardians on how to care for your child’s teeth effectively.

What is it important to keep baby teeth?

Your child’s primary teeth are at risk for cavities as soon as they first appear, which is often as early as six months. Cavities in infants and toddlers are referred to as milk cavities or baby bottle tooth decay. Baby teeth have a thinner layer of enamel than adult teeth which makes them more susceptible to cavities. If a baby tooth is lost to a cavity before an adult tooth is ready to replace it, the remaining teeth may shift or tip and not leave enough room for the adult tooth to come in. Also, if cavities progress they can become uncomfortable, causing discomfort for your child. In some cases, cavities can also lead to health-threatening infections if they are not properly treated. The good news is cavities are preventable.

The Importance of Keeping Children’s Teeth Healthy

To Prevent Cavities, Our Lincoln, NE Dentists Recommend

Maintain your own great at-home dental habits. Research shows that bacteria from your mouth can pass to your children leading to a weakened immune system and putting them at higher risk for becoming ill. Taking care of your oral health and treating Periodontal disease and cavities is critical. The bacteria that cause cavities and Periodontal disease are most often transmitted from parents to children by 15 months of age. Parents are the most important role models for maintaining good oral health. Even while expecting, it is highly recommended to visit the dentist for your regular checkups.
Begin brushing infant teeth with a washcloth starting with their very first tooth. Once the child is 1-3 years old, use a small soft-bristled toothbrush with a smear of toothpaste. Once your child can spit after brushing, usually around four years, you can begin to use a small pea-sized amount of toothpaste.
Teach your toddler to drink from a cup by 12-15 months and avoid putting infants and toddlers to bed with a bottle of juice or milk once those first baby teeth appear. Drinking from a cup makes it less likely for milk or juice to pool around the teeth, especially at night.

Limit sticky and sugary snacks such as fruit snacks, gummies, and fruit roll-ups to confined periods of time or near meal times. These types of snacks can become especially problematic if your child consumes them often.

When possible, avoid juices and sports drinks like Gatorade. If consumed, do so near meal time or finish within 20 minutes and follow up with water. If children are playing on sports teams, have them drink water to stay hydrated.
Give children the independence to brush and floss their teeth, but always be sure to “check” on them afterward. Use this as an opportunity to re-brush, re-floss, and praise them for their hard work. Children can have lots of enthusiasm for brushing, but often don’t master the dexterity and maturity to brush on their own until around age 8 and floss on their own until age 10-12. Without extra guidance, children often miss brushing and flossing tricky areas, especially near their back teeth.
Establish excellent dental habits with visits to a family dentist for regular 6-month checkups. A family dentist can explain procedures such as applying a numbing agent or removing a cavity in words a child can understand. Our West Lincoln dental clinic uses visual aids to help children understand procedures and to show them how they can take excellent care of their teeth.

A family dentist, such as Dr. Joekel or Dr. Day, can refer you to a pediatric dentist should your child’s needs extend beyond a general dentist’s office. Our Lincoln NE dentists are comfortable expanding the circle of care for a young child with more complex dental needs.

February is National Children’s Dental Health Month (NCDHM)

Download: “What is a cavity?” Handout.
(Click on the picture below)

What is a cavity handout. Our family dentists in Lincoln NE at Coddington Dental believe that a healthy mouth begins with great education.

Our family dentists in Lincoln, NE truly believe that attitudes and habits established at an early age are critical in maintaining good oral health throughout life.