Pediatric Dentistry in Wilmington, DE

As fathers who have treated thousands of children in their family-friendly practice, Dr. Justison and Dr. Gladnick always encourage you to bring your children for their first dental visit as soon as possible. It is beneficial for the first dental visit to occur within six months after the first tooth eruption.

Starting early is the key to preventing cavities and maintaining a lifetime of good dental health. Your child will be treated to a new toothbrush and a ride in our chair (with you, of course!). We like to make the first visit an exceptionally positive experience. You will be pleased to meet our friendly, nurturing staff and a warm environment.

• Your Child’s First Dental Visit
• Pediatric Dental Treatments for Your Child
• What about Fluoride and Nutrition?
• Restorative Dentistry for Children
• Preventive Pediatric Dental Care
• Are You Looking for a Children’s Dentist in Wilmington?

Your Child’s First Dental Visit

According to the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry, your child should have their first dental check-up by their first birthday. When your child's teeth begin to erupt, please call Dr.Justison or Dr. Gladnick to discuss scheduling his or her first dental appointment.

We encourage you to bring your children along when you have your dental check-ups so that they can get to know us, get a ride in the chair, and realize that going to the dentist can actually be fun! Normally, there is no charge for this appointment because we would like the junior members of our practice to associate a trip to the dentist with a positive experience.

We also like to have the chance to share some vital information that will help you to get your child's dental oral health care off to a good start. For example, did you know that after every feeding, you should wipe your baby's gums with either a damp clean washcloth or a moistened gauze pad?

By the time the back molars begin to appear, you should begin brushing the teeth using water and a toothbrush designed for baby teeth. Once your child learns to be able to spit and not swallow toothpaste, you can begin brushing the teeth with a very small amount of fluoride toothpaste. Once the teeth start touching each other, you should begin flossing. This will go a long way in preventing cavities between the teeth. We can go over your child’s oral development and go over any dental concerns like thumb sucking.

What Will Happen at the First Dental Visit? 

• Review your child's medical and dental history
• Complete a thorough oral exam to assess growth and development
• Determine your child's risk of developing cavities
• Clean the teeth and provide instructions on daily care
• Review nutritional habits that may lead to tooth decay
• Discuss teething, pacifier use, and thumb sucking
• Discuss what to do in cases of dental emergencies

We love familiarizing your child with the sights and sounds of their Wilmington, DE dental office, along with the dental exam. Together, we go over the best home health care and how parents can aid in their child’s dental health and general well-being. No one else is as important as you to fight against poor oral hygiene.

The first dental visit for your child is designed to be quick, fun, and painless. There should be zero stress during this time, and if your child is feeling anxious, please let our helpful dental team know. Our goal is to allow your child to acclimate to visiting the dentist at their own pace. Over time, your child will feel more confident and relaxed in the dentist's chair every time they visit our Wilmington pediatric dental office.

Justison and Gladnick Family Dentistry incorporate digital x-rays and fluoride treatments and dental sealants to keep your child’s smile healthy. Children’s dentistry procedures include:

Diagnostic x-rays—Nothing beats the power and precision that dental x-rays provide in detecting infection and decay. By detecting oral abnormalities early, we have the best chance of keeping teeth and gums healthy. We offer periodic digital x-rays to check for decay and to get a good layout of your child’s mouth.

Fluoride treatments—We can help many oral health issues with fluoride treatments; in fact, they can help your child prevent cavities and tooth decay along with regular visits to your Wilmington dentist.

Dental sealants—Dental sealants prevent harmful bacteria from penetrating your child’s teeth. Dr. Gladnick applies the dental sealants to grooves of your child’s teeth, where tooth decay often occurs. Our entire dental team is great with kids; we love to engage with them and bring out their sense of curiosity.

We treat all patients with respect, dignity, and compassion—which children respond to and feel safe with.

What About Fluoride and Nutrition?

Fluoride occurs naturally in most water sources, making it totally unnecessary to add fluoride supplements to your child's diet. Breast milk provides complete nutrition for your infant; if your infant gets most of their nutrition from formula within their first year, we prefer ready-to-feed formula to make sure they do not take in more fluoride than is healthy. If you use powdered formula, make sure to mix it with fluoride-free water.

Ultimately these are parental decisions, and we are willing to work with you and your child's needs. Please call our Wilmington dental office at any time with questions regarding nutrition, diet, and fluoride.

Restorative Dentistry for Children

Preventive dental care starts with protecting your child’s baby teeth so that they are healthy and ready to receive their permanent teeth. Many kids will need to fill a cavity, even when they still have baby teeth. If your child has been complaining about tooth pain or sensitivity, do not hesitate to schedule a dental appointment. We have a good shot at preserving your child’s tooth as long as we address oral health issues early on.

Dr. Gladnick will never push or rush your child; we work at their pace, so they feel relaxed and comfortable. We utilize dental exams and digital x-rays to look for tooth decay and infection. We make dentistry pain-free and positive so that when restorative dentistry is needed, your child will not feel anxious.

Preventive Pediatric Dental Care

Even though baby teeth are temporary, it’s still crucial to make sure they fall out naturally to make room for permanent teeth. If a baby tooth falls out due to tooth decay, they may interrupt the natural progress and placement of permanent adult teeth—possibly resulting in crooked or crowded teeth.

If we detect tooth decay in a baby tooth, we will remove all the decay and fill it to preserve your child’s dental health. We may offer fluoride treatments to prevent decay and cavities from occurring. We also utilize dental sealants to coat your child’s teeth to prevent bacteria from settling in. We often see fewer cavities in patients who use dental sealants and practice preventive dental care.

Are You Looking for a Children’s Dentist in Wilmington, DE?

Call ?Justison and Gladnick Family Dentistry to schedule a pediatric dental appointment. We always invite entire families to visit if they are able to, which helps young patients accept dentistry as part of a normal and healthy routine. We welcome patients of all ages, and we understand how busy families can be. We make it easy to schedule a dental cleaning and work with your schedule.

Our Wilmington dental office is open Monday through Thursday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. We also make ourselves available for appointments by appointment on Fridays. Call us today!