(805) 456-2866
Frequently Asked Questions
Real answers to the questions parents ask us every day — from first visits to braces, brushing to sedation.
First Visits
What to expect before you ever walk through the door — and how to make your child's first appointment a great one.The American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry recommends that a child’s first dental visit should occur by their first birthday or when your child’s first tooth erupts, whichever comes first. Early dental visits help establish good oral hygiene habits and can help prevent tooth decay. It is also a great opportunity for parents to ask questions and gain future guidance on their child’s dental growth.
To help prepare your child for their first dental visit, talk to them about what to expect and make the visit sound fun and exciting. Positive terminology should always be used and please do not describe any negative experiences you or anyone they know may have had. You can read books or watch videos about going to the dentist and you can always bring a favorite toy or comfort item to the appointment. For young children under 6 years old, appointments should not be scheduled during a child’s regular nap time or when they may be hungry. Early morning appointments are the most successful for them and they do best when they have had a full night of sleep.
During a dental visit, we will clean their teeth, take any necessary x-rays, encourage good home hygiene habits, and place topical fluoride on their teeth. The doctor will examine your child’s teeth, gums, bite, and airway and discuss any oral health concerns.
The doctor will perform a knee-to-knee exam with a parent’s help, discuss good oral hygiene practices, describe tooth eruption sequences, clean the teeth and gums, and apply topical fluoride varnish to the child’s teeth.
Checkups & Prevention
How often to come in, what happens at each visit, and how we keep growing smiles ahead of trouble.Only as often as their individual risk calls for — some children need x-rays every 6-12 months; some children may go as long as 18 months without x-rays. We weigh your child’s cavity history, development stage, and risk level, and we’ll always tell you why an x-ray is (or isn’t) needed at a given visit.
Our office uses a BPA free sealant material called 3M ClinPro sealant. The American Dental Association and the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry both support sealants as safe and effective: they can reduce cavities in the grooves of permanent molars by up to 80%.
To help prevent tooth decay, encourage your child to brush their teeth twice a day with fluoride toothpaste, floss daily, and eat a healthy diet low in sugary and acidic foods and drinks.
Children should see a dentist for regular check-ups and cleanings every six months. However, we may recommend more frequent visits based on your child’s individual needs. We consider past cavity rate, sugar consumption, and habits they may have, as well as any special needs or social situations that may have an affect on their oral health.
Dental sealants are a protective coating applied to the chewing surfaces of the back teeth to help prevent tooth decay. Dental sealants on first molars are typically placed around the ages of 6-7 years old and can significantly reduce their susceptibility to cavities on these very important teeth.
Common dental problems in children include tooth decay, gingivitis, and misaligned teeth. Regular dental check-ups can help prevent and treat these issues.
Home Care
Brushing, flossing, and toothpaste choices — what actually works at home, at every age.The best toothbrush is the one that gets used — well, twice a day. That said, electric toothbrushes can make good brushing easier: the built-in timers help kids brush long enough, and the rotating or vibrating head does some of the work that small hands struggle with. A manual brush works perfectly well when technique is good, and remember that children need a parent’s help brushing until about age 8 regardless of the tool. If a fun electric brush gets your child excited about brushing, that enthusiasm is worth a lot.
Nano-hydroxyapatite is a promising ingredient, and it can help remineralize early enamel damage. But the research supporting fluoride toothpaste is vastly deeper — decades of studies show it safely and effectively prevents cavities in children. For most kids, especially those at higher risk for cavities, fluoride toothpaste in the right amount (a smear for under-2s, a pea-size from age 2) remains our recommendation. If you prefer a fluoride-free option or your child has specific needs, bring it up at your visit — we’ll look at your child’s actual cavity risk and build a plan you’re comfortable with.
To brush your child’s teeth, use a small, soft-bristled toothbrush and a pea-sized amount of fluoride toothpaste.
- Children need parental supervision to brush their teeth until they are 8 years old due to limitations in their manual dexterity.
- Brush gently in circular motions with the bristles angled towards the gums.
- Clean all surfaces of the teeth including biting surfaces, along the cheek, tongue and palate.
- Encourage your child to spit out the toothpaste after brushing.
Children 2 years old and under should use a smear or rice-sized amount of fluoride toothpaste.
Flossing is an important part of oral hygiene and should be started as soon as your child’s teeth begin to touch. Use a soft, flexible floss and gently slide it between your child’s teeth. Make sure to gently floss all the way down to the gum line.
Children can start using fluoride toothpaste as soon as their first baby tooth erupts. However, use only a smear or rice-sized amount until they are 2 years old. At this time, a pea-sized amount of fluoride toothpaste is appropriate.
Treatments
Fillings, crowns, and sealants — your child's options, explained in plain language.Many pediatric surgical procedures are safely and routinely performed in-office by a pediatric dentist with surgical training. For cases that need a hospital setting, we coordinate that care directly — you’re never left to figure it out alone. Dr. Trahan has extensive surgical training and experience, much more than a typical pediatric dentist.
Silver diamine fluoride (SDF) and Interim Therapeutic Restoration (ITR).
Yes, when they have cavities. Decay in a baby tooth spreads, causes pain, and can damage the adult tooth developing underneath. Treating it protects your child now and their adult smile later.
In our practice, we only place white (resin-bonded) fillings. These materials have improved dramatically over the past decade — they bond to the tooth, look natural, and hold up well in children. We do not place silver-colored (amalgam) fillings at all. If your child has older silver fillings from another office, we’re happy to evaluate them and talk through whether replacement makes sense — often, a filling that’s doing its job is best left alone.
Both types protect a baby tooth that has a large cavity or has been weakened by decay. Tooth-colored zirconia crowns look just like natural teeth and can be placed in one appointment on both front and back baby teeth. Stainless steel (silver) crowns are extremely durable and are appropriate for back baby teeth with large cavities — they fall out naturally with the baby tooth in the early teen years. We will never place silver crowns on front teeth. The right choice depends on which tooth is affected, how much healthy tooth remains, their ability to tolerate dental treatment, and your child’s bite; we’ll walk you through the options before any treatment.
Sedation & Comfort
How we keep kids calm and comfortable, and what your choices are when a little extra help is needed.Yes. Nitrous oxide is the mildest sedation option in dentistry: your child stays awake and responsive, and the effect clears within minutes of removing the mask. It has decades of safe use in pediatric dentistry.
With nitrous oxide, usually yes — they just won’t mind it much. We call it “I don’t care air” because things that might otherwise bother a child, they are much more tolerant to with N2O. With general anesthesia, your child will have no memory of the appointment. Deeper sedation reduces memory of treatment, which for many anxious children is what prevents a bad dental memory from forming rather than causing one.
To help your child feel more comfortable during a dental procedure, talk positively to them about seeing the dentist.. You can also bring a favorite toy or comfort item to the appointment.
There are several options for dental sedation for children, including nitrous oxide (laughing gas), oral sedation, and general anesthesia. Each has its own pros, cons, risks, and benefits. We will discuss the options with you and recommend the most appropriate form of sedation based on their individual needs.
Emergencies
When a tooth gets hurt, the first few minutes matter. Here's what to do — and when to call us.First: stay calm, and figure out whether it’s a baby tooth or a permanent tooth. A knocked-out baby tooth is not re-implanted — putting it back can damage the adult tooth forming underneath — but your child should still be seen promptly. A knocked-out permanent tooth is a race against the clock: handle it by the crown (not the root), gently rinse if dirty, and place it back in the socket if you can, or keep it in milk. Then call us immediately at (805) 456-2866. The Tooth SOS app is a great guide for those first critical minutes.
It depends on the size of the chip and whether there’s pain or bleeding. Small chips can usually wait for a next-day call; larger fractures — especially with pain, temperature sensitivity, or a pink/red spot in the center of the tooth — should be seen quickly. If you can find the fragment, bring it with you. Either way, call us and describe what you see; we’ll tell you how fast to come in.
Rinse with warm water, gently floss to rule out trapped food, and use a cold compress on the cheek for swelling. Children’s-dose ibuprofen or acetaminophen can help overnight — but never place aspirin against the gums, which burns the tissue. A toothache that wakes a child up usually means something that needs treatment; call us in the morning, or immediately if there’s facial swelling or fever.
Facial swelling with a toothache can signal a dental infection, and in children infections can spread quickly — this is one situation we treat as urgent. Call us right away; if there’s fever, difficulty swallowing or breathing, or the swelling is spreading toward the eye, go to the emergency room first and call us after.
If your child has a dental emergency, such as a knocked-out tooth or severe toothache, contact us as soon as possible at (805) 456-2866. An App for parents called Tooth SOS is very helpful in the first few minutes of a dental emergency since those can be very crucial in the survival of a traumatized tooth.
Growth & Habits
Thumbs, pacifiers, and crooked teeth — what's normal, what's not, and when it's time to act.Common signs include difficulty breastfeeding or bottle-feeding, clicking sounds while nursing, a gap between the front teeth, or later, speech concerns. If you suspect a tie, bring your baby in — the exam is quick, and if treatment is needed, a laser frenectomy is a brief, precise procedure.
Every 6 month visit we will evaluate your child’s dental growth and development. Your child may need orthodontic treatment to correct issues such as crowded or crooked teeth, bite problems, trauma risk, or difficulty chewing or speaking. We will discuss if your child needs early orthodontic treatment to maximize growth potential, or if it can wait until their teenage years.
Extended thumb-sucking and pacifier use can lead to dental problems such as misaligned teeth, inability to close lips, increased trauma risk, and psychosocial issues (being bullied at school). Encourage your child to stop using a pacifier or thumb-sucking by the age of three.
