Pediatric Dentistry in Seattle and Tacoma
Pediatric dentistry is the oral healthcare for children from infancy to teenage years. The team at 32 Pearls Seattle and Tacoma have multitudes of experience working with babies, kids, and teens, including those with special needs.
At 32 Pearls, we see children starting as early as 6 months, and the first visit is FREE. We have experience with all phases of children’s dental care, including cleanings, fillings, fluoride treatments, sealants, and more. We have techniques specifically designed for children to establish trust and help your child feel comfortable. As your child grows, our team will regularly evaluate your child’s dental needs, providing the best possible dental care for your child in a friendly, anxiety-free environment.
Specialized Action Plans
A specialized plan of care is provided for each individual child. We know that not all kids are the same, and we strive to provide the best-individualized plan that will inspire your child to want to brush their teeth and have an interest in great dental habits.
We use state-of-the-art technology combined with exceptional care, comprehensive examinations, and the most advanced techniques to ensure your child with maximum oral care.
We investigate habits and behaviors that are potential risk factors for your child, such as thumb-sucking, pacifier habits, and how to avoid injuries to the mouth area.
Preventative Care Plans
The best plan against cavities and oral hygiene problems is preventative care. We will give you an organized and routine maintenance schedule so that your child is familiar with dental practices and knows us, trusts us, and has a solid relationship with us.
We promote healthy dental practices for children and give adults the essentials and education to encourage optimal health care for your child.
Anxiety, Fears, and Dentist Phobias
That’s right. We have a plan for children with anxiety about going to the dentist, too. 20% of children are afraid of going to the dentist. However, the problem usually stems from either a past traumatic experience about going to a medical practitioner or the child is watching the parent have anxiety about past experiences.
The best thing to do is teach your child to stay in the moment and educate them that they are always in a new moment that has nothing to do with a past situation. Here are a few ways we help kids and adults relax when thinking about going to the dentist, plus things you can do to help your child beforehand.
- Breathing techniques are the best way to calm the body down and train your brain to think cognitively. Kids are often open to learning these techniques.
- Please see our blog about how to calm anxiety at the dentist’s office. If you are calm, your child will follow your lead.
- Talk to your child before you go to the dentist. Tell them everything that will happen and how fun it will be.
- Do not tell your child about whatever experience you had, unless it was a good one.
- Play a pretend “Going to the Dentist” game. Let your child be the dentist and practice on a stuffed animal.
- Watch videos or read books made for children about going to the dentist. There are multitudes of them. We’ve listed a few free videos on YouTube. These videos tell your child exactly what is going to happen.
A Real Kid Goes to the Dentist
A Child’s Visit to the Dentist
Just Going to the Dentist – A Read Aloud by Mercer Mayer
- Let your child listen to their favorite music on the way to the dentist, so the experience is always fun.
- Trust and understand that the staff at 32 Pearls knows well how to relate to children, educate them, and give them the quality attention they deserve.
- Positive reinforcement is always okay! Do something fun after the dentist that your child wants to do! Accent their bravery and be their cheerleading squad.
Plans for more involved dental issues
We have a plan for more involved dental issues for your child. We cover all the bases for your child’s dental development and emergencies.
We treat all types of child dental care at 32 Pearls. We specialized in the following services that include care for all ages plus more. See our Services page for more details.
Listed below are some concerns you may have about your children’s dental care. Please call us, and we will be happy to discuss anything with you and answer any questions.
Cavities – Cavities can even occur in baby teeth. We must be aware if a cavity is in a baby’s teeth because a cavity can grow into the other teeth and has to be dealt with properly. Baby teeth are so important because they hold the proper space for the new tooth to grow in straight.
Braces – Braces are a great way to strengthen and align your teen’s teeth.
Invisalign – Invisalign is now a most trusted and favored option for teeth straightening by patients, dentists, and oral hygienists everywhere. Invisalign is quick, easy, and by far, a simpler procedure for the patient and dentist. It is the most straight forward option for teeth straightening. We have a teen package, and only 32 Pearls offers Invisalign at half off the regular price.
For more information about your child’s first FREE dental visit, contact us.