Skip to main content

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

How can we help you?

When it comes to your little one’s oral health, we hope you have a lot of questions. As your pediatric dentist in Beaumont, we are here to be your partners in helping you maintain your child’s oral health.

We have compiled some of the questions we hear most often from parents; however, please contact our office if you don’t see the answer to your question here.

Children should begin seeing their pediatric dentist around the age of one-year-old. This might seem very early to bring them to the dentist; however, it is important to start establishing a relationship with a dentist for your child to set them up for success in the future. These early visits give them a chance to acclimate to the dental office and sitting in the chair; they also allow your pediatric dentist to begin monitoring your child’s oral development.

Why Choose a Pediatric Dentist?

Besides having additional years of training focused solely on working with children, a pediatric dentist also specializes in helping children with special needs or other unique issues that a general dentist may not have experience handling. Working with a pediatric dentist gives your child a better chance of avoiding problems like dental phobia, fear, or anxiety. Not to mention, it makes their visits a lot more fun!

Your pediatric dentist in Beaumont is also an excellent resource for any questions about oral development, health or your child’s nutrition you may have.

At The Pass Pediatric Dental Group, we look forward to taking care of your child and serving your family for many years to come! Give us a call today to schedule your little one’s next visit.

Nutrition plays a significant role in optimum oral health. Eating a healthy diet that includes fruits and veggies protects against tooth decay by neutralizing the acids in your child’s mouth that cause it. Promoting healthy snacks and well-balanced meals helps them achieve excellent oral health.

Foods that are high in protein such as cheese, yogurt, nuts, and deli meat are also good snacks that don’t attract the bacteria as readily as foods high in carbohydrates, starches, and sugar such as chips, crackers, cookies, or bread. Carbohydrates convert to sugar and also tend to stick to small teeth longer than they should, which gives them the opportunity to promote tooth decay.

Avoid foods that are sticky, such as gummy candy, fruits snacks, and dried fruits should because they become embedded in the teeth and attract that cavity-causing bacteria to live in the mouth for longer periods of time.

When your child asks for that afternoon snack think of raw carrots, apple slices, or nuts as an alternative to the crackers and pretzels they usually eat. If you have more questions about your little one’s oral health or nutrition, please feel free to contact The Pass Pediatric Dental Group.

We often have parents ask us why it is so important to take care of baby teeth when they are only going to fall out in a few years? While it’s true that baby teeth don’t stick around for very long, they have a few significant jobs to do while they’re here.

  • Baby teeth hold space for incoming adult teeth and also help to guide them in when the time comes.
  • Baby teeth help your child begin to navigate the world of solid foods.
  • Baby teeth also assist your little one in learning to talk and form words.

If your child loses a primary tooth before it’s time, it can affect their oral development. That’s why Dr. Berry may recommend treatment such as a crown or pulpectomy to preserve or save your child’s tooth if it is damaged by trauma or decay.

If your child’s primary tooth sustains an injury or infection, we will always explain your options and choices, so as a parent, you can make the best decisions for your child’s oral health and future. Give The Pass Pediatric Dental Group a call today for more information or if you have questions for Dr. Berry.

Since dairy products are often considered healthy, it may be confusing to parents as to why they shouldn’t let their child sleep while nursing or with a bottle. First, it’s important to understand the chain reaction that occurs when your child falls asleep with milk in their mouth.

Milk gathers on the roof of their mouth and their tongue and bathes the front teeth in it when your child falls asleep. Since the flow of saliva is reduced during sleep, the milk is not washed away through the mouth’s natural cleansing process.

Milk contains sugar, which fuels the bacteria that collects in the plaque on your little one’s teeth. The bacteria feed on sugar and produce a by-product that is acid, which then works to break down tooth enamel.

With this process occurring while your child sleeps, it allows much more time for the acids to work and can cause rampant decay in your child’s small teeth known as “nursing caries.”

A good rule of thumb is to wipe your child’s gums with a warm washcloth or brush their teeth after feedings and before bedtime.

If you have questions about nursing caries, feel free to contact The Pass Pediatric Dental Group for more information.

Not finding what you need?