Baby Cub Club - Birth to 3 Years

The American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry recommends that children visit a
dentist before they turn one, or within six months of the appearance of the first baby
tooth.

When you bring your child to the pediatric dentist at a very young age, you allow
him or her to become comfortable in the dental setting and establish a dental home.
Sometimes new places and experiences are outside of a child’s comfort zone and
that’s fine with us! We will be patient and take our time to develop positive
memories at Ozark Pediatric Dentistry.

We also want to keep your child comfortable during the teething period, which
occurs around 6 months and continues until 2-3 years old. The American Academy
of Pediatric Dentistry recommends over the counter pain medication like ibuprofen
and Tylenol and it is not recommended to use any topical gels.
In the Baby Cub Club, the first visit usually includes an exam of teeth, jaw, gums, a
gentle cleaning with fluoride treatment. We will also answer any questions you may
have about your child’s oral health and discuss dietary guidelines and best practices.

Cub Club - 4 to 10 Years

*4-5 Year Olds: Imagination and energy come to mind when we think about these
cubs. It is important that children in this age group keep teeth clean by brushing
with a “pea size” amount of fluoridated toothpaste two times per day. Spacing will
become tighter in that little mouth, so flossing is necessary. And make brushing
teeth FUN: sing songs, play guess who, etc. It is great allow kids the freedom to
brush independently, but always brush after them to make sure teeth properly
cleaned.

*6-10 Year Olds: At the beginning of this stage, permanent teeth start to come in
starting with the 6 year molars. These teeth usually have many deep grooves,
creating a great place for cavities to form so sealants are commonly recommended.
Even though kids are gaining more independence during this time, they may not
have the hand-eye coordination to properly clean away plaque – so if they are
younger than 8, make sure to brush after your kids. Try to emphasize gently brushing with a short, vertical or circular motion at the gumline to prevent build up
and bad breath.

If you are in the cub club, you can expect to come to the dentist two times a year for
a cleaning and fluoride treatment, and sealant treatment if necessary. We will
monitor growth and development of oral/facial structures and orthodontic referral
if needed. We also want to make your little one an athletic mouth guard should your
cub be playing contact sports. 

Bear Club - 11+

Kids are really gaining independence at this age and make more decisions regarding
diet and lifestyle. During semiannual cleaning visits, we will educate you and your
child on these decisions for their dental health and overall health. Sugary drinks,
energy drinks and junk food are consumed by many teens so we want to confirm
that proper oral hygiene is in place to care for their permanent teeth. Evaluation for
orthodontics is completed at this age and referrals are given if needed.