Fremont, CA Dentist - Dr. Meenu Giri Family Dentistry in Fremont

2. Services: Children Dentistry An early start in regular dental care is an important step towards preventing dental problems like cavities. The first dental visit should occur shortly after the first tooth erupts and no later than the child's first birthday. Beginning tooth and mouth examinations early may lead to detection of early stages of tooth decay that can be easily treated. By making the first visit to the dentist enjoyable and positive your child can be rescued from the negative feelings so often associated with going to the dentist! Well Pediatricians for years have been stressing the value of well-baby and child visits. The underlying theme regarding well-checks is the concept of preventative medicine- "regular check-ups before anything emergent happens". This concept has long been applied to dentistry as well. Preventative dentistry allows for dentists to evaluate and make sure your child doesn't have cavities and to help instill habits to minimize the possibility of cavities in the future.

3. Children Dentistry : Dental Eruption Primary Teeth: Teething, the process of baby (primary) teeth coming through the gums into the mouth, is variable among individual babies. Some babies get their teeth early and some get them late. In general the first baby teeth are usually the lower front (anterior) teeth and usually begin erupting between the age of 6-8 months. Children's teeth begin forming before birth. As early as 4 months, the first primary (or baby) teeth to erupt through the gums are the lower central incisors, followed closely by the upper central incisors. Although all 20 primary teeth usually appear by age 3, the pace and order of their eruption varies. Permanent Teeth Permanent teeth begin appearing around age 6, starting with the first molars and lower central incisors. This process continues from childhood into early adolescence. By the time kids turn age 13 to 14 most adult teeth should be present in the mouth. Teens and Adults have 28 permanent teeth, or up to 32 including the third molars (or wisdom teeth).

4. Children Dentistry : SEALANTS Dental sealants are thin plastic coatings which are usually applied to the chewing surfaces of the first permanent molars. The purpose of a sealant is to prevent decay. Most tooth decay in children and teens occur in the pits and fissures of chewing surfaces. By placing a sealant over these pits and fissures, the probability of a cavity forming on that tooth significantly decreases.

5. Children Dentistry : TEETHING "Teething" is the process in which teeth start to erupt into the mouth. Usually this occurs around 6 months of age. The two lower central incisors are generally the first to arrive. Although this is an exciting milestone, teething can be accompanied by classic symptoms such as irritability, excessive drooling, constant biting of objects, and sore gums. Low grade fevers may also be attributed to teething. We recommend evaluating your child to see if he/she has any other symptoms (ie. ear infections) before associating fevers with the eruption of teeth into the mouth. HOW DO I SOOTHE SORE GUMS Cold Pressure often helps to alleviate symptoms of teething. A teething ring or a clean dish cloth wet with cold water for babies to chew or bite on often does the trick. Topical over-the-counter anesthetic gels such as OraGel are not recommended. If your child develops a fever or is not responding well to Cold Pressure consider an over-the-counter analgesic such as Children's Tylenol (consult with us prior to administering any medications).

6. Meet Doctor: Dr. MeenuGiri Family Dentistry Dr. MeenuGiri Doctor of Dental Medicine, Tufts University School of Dental Medicine at Boston, MA ASSOCIATIONS: American Dental Association, California Dental Association PROFESSIONAL INTERESTS: Cosmetic Dentistry, Geriatric Dentistry, Pediatric Dentistry