You may not realize it, but even a two-month-old has dental needs.
“It’s important that parents introduce dental hygiene to their kids, even when there are no teeth involved,” said Melody Weinhandl, office manager of Brook Trout Dental. “Use a damp washcloth and wipe debris from the baby’s gums. This gets them used to having their mouths touched in that capacity so that when the teeth do emerge, the feeling of using a brush across the teeth becomes second nature to them.”
Starting dental hygiene at such an early age also helps set the child up for a lifetime of good oral health.
“Milk is a form of sugar, believe it or not, and left to its own device can cause decay in baby teeth, which tend to be softer and more susceptible to decay,” Mrs. Weinhandl said. “Baby juices can have loads of sugar in them too, so it’s important to get that debris off before it becomes a problem as well.”
She also recommends serving cheese as a snack because cheese is a natural neutralizer of the acid that causes cavities.
Early visits and oral support also set children up for a more pleasant association with dental care, the dental chair and even the dentists themselves. Today’s dentistry is not the “knee in the chest to pull out a tooth horror story or other fearful tales” often regaled by older patients, Mrs. Weinhandl said. Today’s dentists are well versed in addressing any fears or anxieties patients may have, no matter their age, and Dr. Brent Weinhandl, her husband, is exceptionally kind in this manner.
In addition, technology and state-of-the-art equipment have made procedures that used to be painful much more seamless and comfortable, providing a more relaxed experience for the patient. And when that patient happens to be a wee one, Dr. Weinhandl entertains them with stories and funny questions to put them at ease.
He also keeps things very simple in terms of what he’s doing during the exam.
And that’s where the sugar bug comes in. If a cavity needs to be filled, for example, Dr. Weinhandl informs the child they have to get rid of the sugar bug that is running around in their mouth. He asks them to close their eyes so they can pretend to be asleep so the bug will want to come out. (Kid-flavored numbing gel is also included as part of the process — watermelon, grape or cherry are applied to the gum using a Q-tip).
“Sometimes he’ll just be silly and ask the kids if they’re married, just to get them laughing,” Mrs. Weinhandl said. “And he plays word games and tells jokes.”
Having experienced a serious injury himself, Dr. Weinhandl is well versed in the fear and apprehension that accompanies treatment of any sort, especially for kids.
“He just shows a different level of compassion when he’s working with them,” she said. “Kids feel comfortable with him, and you can see it in the way they interact with him.”
During a baby’s exam, mom or dad holds the child on their lap while the initial visit is done. The only instrument used during those first few toothless checkups is a mirror, which, just like the washcloth, gets them used to having something in their mouth. Each child receives a prize at the end of the exam.
Oh, and the trip to the dentist is called a Happy Visit.
The Weinhandls are currently working with third-generation patients, many of whom battled their own sugar bugs when they were little and who now drive several hours across the state just to bring their own children to the dental office. One patient, who now drives from Lusk, told Mrs. Weinhandl there is no other dentist he wants his little boy and girl to see after having been a patient at Brook Trout Dental since he was five years old.
“We like to be part of each stage of our patients’ lives,” she said. “We’ve been to several graduations and weddings of these patients. It’s just been fun to see these little guys grow up, have their own kids and have the privilege of being in their lives in such a way. It’s very humbling to know that we’ve gained their trust so completely that we can make dentistry such a positive experience for their entire family.”
To make an appointment or to find out more about Brook Trout Dental, please visit brooktroutdental.com.
