Preventive Pediatric Dentistry for Riverton, WY
Children have different dental needs than adults, so it’s good to know that your loved one sees a specialist who’s wholly focused on their unique smile! Dr. Paulson offers several preventive services that can help protect your child from cavities and other oral issues as they learn how best to take care of their teeth. Give us a call to schedule a pediatric checkup and cleaning or to ask about one of our other preventive services!
Your Child’s First Dental Visit
Experts recommend taking your child to visit the dentist when their very first baby tooth emerges. It might not look like the more routine checkups and cleanings you’re used to, but this gives Dr. Paulson a chance to make sure your child’s teeth are developing smoothly. It also helps your child become more familiar with our team, which can reduce their anxiety and make them feel more at home during future visits.
Dental Checkups & Teeth Cleanings
As your child grows more and more pearly whites, their appointments will look more and more like the checkups and cleanings you’re familiar with – but with a fun (and educational) twist! Each child goes home with a balloon, prize, sticker, and new toothbrush after their appointment. In addition to monitoring their dental development and cleaning plaque and tartar from their pearly whites, our team will also give your child tips for taking care of their smile at home.
Dental Sealants
Back teeth have grooves and crevices that are important for helping us chew – but can also be difficult for a young child to keep clean. To protect your kiddo’s molars from cavities while they’re still getting the hang of twice-daily brushing and flossing, we can apply dental sealants. This is basically a thin, plastic coating that is designed to bond to the uneven grooves in your child’s teeth, preventing harmful bacteria from sticking to the chewing surface.
Silver Diamine Fluoride (SDF)
SDF is a special fluoride solution that’s particularly effective at slowing the rate of tooth decay in early-stage cavities. Unlike a “normal” fluoride treatment, Dr. Paulson will apply the SDF directly to your child’s cavity, then ask them to rinse after a few minutes. This process is considered painless and minimally invasive, but it can cause staining, so we generally only recommend it for slow-progressing decay in baby teeth.
Fluoride Treatments
Biannual fluoride treatments are a great way to protect your child’s smile from cavities! Fluoride is a naturally occurring mineral often found in water sources and many vegetables, and is known to both strengthen teeth and weaken bacteria. We typically recommend starting fluoride treatments for children over the age of 4.
Custom Mouthguards
Sports and other physically intense activities can put a lot of strain on your child’s teeth, risking damage and breakage. To soften any physical impacts that might come their way, we can provide them with a colorful, customized mouthguard.
Kids Oral Hygiene & Health
Helping your child maintain good oral hygiene habits at home can be difficult. But don’t worry – our team is here to help with your child’s at-home dental care, too! Dr. Paulson is skilled at making daily brushing and flossing seem fun and important to kids, and can also provide you with some tips and tricks for encouraging their efforts. If you’d like good product recommendations as well, all you have to do is ask!