Kid Stuff: Dental Terms To Know

Even if you have been providing yourself with good dental care for a big portion of your life, it doesn’t mean you’re going to know what we’re talking about if you begin bringing your little one in for children’s dentistry! Surprisingly enough, you will find that there are terms having to do with anatomy and treatments for your son or daughter that will not really apply to your own oral health. To make sure you’re in the know regarding some kid-related terminology, we’d like to make sure you’re filled in on the basics.

Fluorosis

Fluorosis is a problem that affects about 25 percent of the population. In some instances, you won’t even know it’s happened. Other times, it’s more apparent. This is simply what occurs when a person receives too much fluoride before the age of eight. In general, it’s nothing to worry about. It might leave white marks on your child’s teeth (but this is easy to avoid by coming in for consistent dental care with us). The problem is primarily esthetic in nature.

Dental Sealants

If you’re bringing your child in for dental care, you’re going to hear about dental sealants. These are very thin plastic barriers that we place by simply coating the surface of your child’s teeth (chewing surfaces only) with clear plastic. It’s great for keeping bacteria and food out, so these hard-to-care-for areas stay clean and decay free.

Primary Teeth

You may say “baby teeth” or “baby’s first teeth.” For this initial set of teeth, we will generally say “primary teeth.” You can expect to see 20 of them once your child’s full set arrives.