Family Dental Care

Dental care for smiles of all sizes.

Columbus Family Dental is family-focused dental care. Every smile…small, medium, and large.

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Columbus Fmaily Dental

Family Dental Care

Columbus Family Dental is family-first dental care. Every smile…small, medium, and large.

OVERVIEW →

FIRST VISIT →

TEETHING →

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Braces, Invisalign, and cracked teeth, our doctors pride themselves on their broad range of expertise.

At Columbus Family Dental we believe that family dental care is the foundation of what we do. We’ve built our clinic around the idea that our patients should get complete and total care, all within our clinic. That meant our doctors would have the broadest techniques, most specialized skills, and continual education around everything dental a patient may encounter from childhood to adulthood. We’ve seen our younger patients grow and we feel grateful to help guide them through a lifetime of healthy smiles. 

Great people! super friendly, felt home like.”

Ness, Google review

A CHILD’S FIRST DENTAL VISIT

A child’s first dental visit should be scheduled around his/her second birthday. The most important part of the visit is getting to know and becoming comfortable with a doctor and their staff. A pleasant, comfortable first visit builds trust and helps put the child at ease during future dental visits. If possible, allow the child to sit in a parent’s lap in the exam room. Children should be encouraged to discuss any fears or anxiety they feel.

WHY PRIMARY TEETH ARE IMPORTANT

Primary teeth are important for several reasons. Foremost, good teeth allow a child to eat and maintain good nutrition. Healthy teeth allow for clear pronunciation and speech habits. The self­-image that healthy teeth give a child is immeasurable. Primary teeth also guide eruption of the permanent teeth.

GOOD DIET AND HEALTHY TEETH

The teeth, bones and soft tissue of the mouth require a healthy, well­-balanced diet. A variety of foods from the five food groups helps minimize (and avoid) cavities and other dental problems. Most snacks that children eat cause cavities, so children should only receive healthy foods like vegetables, low­-fat yogurt and cheeses, which promote strong teeth.

TEETHING

Normally, the first tooth erupts between ages 6 to 12 months. Gums are sore, tender and sometimes irritable until the age of 3. Rubbing sore gums gently with a clean finger, the back of a cold spoon or a cold, wet cloth helps soothe the gums. Teething rings work well, but avoid teething biscuits—they contain sugar that is not good for baby teeth.

While your baby is teething, it is important to monitor the teeth for signs of baby bottle decay. Examine the teeth, especially on the inside or the tongue side, every two weeks for dull spots (whiter than the tooth surface) or lines. A bottle containing anything other than water and left in an infant’s mouth while sleeping can cause decay. This happens because sugar in the liquid mixes with bacteria in dental plaque, forming acids that attack the tooth enamel. Each time a child drinks liquids containing sugar, acids attack the teeth for about 20 minutes. When awake, saliva carries away the liquid. During sleep, the saliva flow significantly decreases and liquids pool around the child’s teeth for long periods, covering the teeth in acids.

INFANT’S NEW TEETH

The primary, or “baby,” teeth play a crucial role in dental development. Without them, a child cannot chew food properly and has difficulty speaking clearly. Primary teeth are vital to development of the jaws and for guiding the permanent (secondary) teeth into place when they replace the primary teeth around age 6. Since primary teeth guide the permanent teeth into place, infants with missing primary teeth or infants who prematurely lose primary teeth may require a space maintainer, a device used to hold the natural space open. Without a maintainer, the teeth can tilt toward the empty space and cause permanent teeth to come in crooked. Missing teeth should always be mentioned to your family dentist. The way your child cares for his/her primary teeth plays a critical role in how he/she treats the permanent teeth. Children and adults are equally susceptible to plaque and gum problems—hence, the need for regular care and dental checkups.

PREVENTING BABY BOTTLE TOOTH DECAY

Tooth decay in infants can be minimized or totally prevented by not allowing sleeping infants to bottle feed. Infants that need a bottle to comfortably fall asleep should be given a water­-filled bottle or a pacifier. Our office is dedicated to fighting baby bottle tooth decay. Let us know if you notice any signs of decay or anything unusual in your child’s mouth.

Family Dental

Schedule a Family Visit. 

Call (920) 623-5559 or request an appointment online. Columbus Family Dental is always accepting new patients.