Dentistry is the known evaluation, diagnosis, prevention, and treatment of diseases, disorders and conditions of the soft and hard tissues of the jaw (mandible), the oral cavity, maxillofacial area and the adjacent.
An Interview with Dr. Carla Cohn on Pediatric Dentistry
Dr. Carla Cohn is a dentist and has answered some of the most common questions Bizymoms visitors have about Pediatric Dentistry.
Q. When should parents take their children to have their first checkup?
A. The earlier the better! The Canadian Dental Association recommends no later than one year of age. I like to see kids before their first birthday in order to assess their risk to tooth decay and tailor a preventive program that fits their specific needs.
Q. What should be used to clean a baby's teeth?
A. Initially a soft cloth should be used to clean a baby’s gums. As soon as teeth erupt a soft bristled tooth brush should be used.
Q. What is the significance of bacterial testing?
A. At Kids Dental, every child is tested as part of our examination process because it helps to identify children who are at heightened risk of developing tooth decay. What is poorly understood is that tooth decay is an infection caused by a few specific bacteria. Therefore treatment is aimed at reducing these "bad" bacteria before they have had a chance to form cavities. In this way we are treating the source of the problem.
Q. What should a parent do if their child has a toothache?
A. If a child has a toothache, they should see a dentist as soon as possible. Children’s Tylenol or Children’s Ibuprofen may relieve the symptoms in the short term but will not cure a toothache.
Q. How can a mom prevent decay caused by nursing?
A. Decay caused by nursing at night or bottle feeding at night is a very significant problem. When we sleep our mouths are dry and this allows cavities to develop rapidly. Once a baby has teeth it is important to brush baby’s teeth before bed and not to nurse or bottle feed throughout the night.
Q. Are thumb sucking and pacifier habits harmful to a child's teeth?
A. In the first year of life it has been documented that pacifiers help to protect from SIDS. But after year one, they will adversely affect the way a child’s teeth fit together changing the shape of the palate and the position of the teeth. Thumb sucking will also create similar problems. These problems very often need to be corrected with braces by an orthodontist.
Q. How often does a child need to see the dentist?
A. That depends on whether that child is at high or low risk to develop cavities. A high risk child should be seen every three months in order to monitor existing problems and to apply preventative measures such as fluoride varnish. A moderate risk patient can be seen every six months, and a low risk patient may be seen every nine to twelve months.
Q. How can we contact Dr. Cohn if we have further questions?
A. My office number is (204) 222-5437, or through our website www.kidsdental.ca
We are located at 128 - 2025 Corydon Ave. Winnipeg, Manitoba R3P 0N5 in the Tuxedo Park Shopping Mall.
