South County Pediatric Dentistry

Arrowhead Dental Associates provides pediatric dentistry in Charlestown, RI. Call 401-364-6300 to learn more and schedule your appointment.

Every one of our team members loves to treat children, making pediatric dentistry an important part of Arrowhead Dental Associates. We have created a fun, entertaining, and nonthreatening environment for our young patients. Our reception area has an interactive children’s area, the treatment rooms are private and spacious allowing for parents and siblings to be present if you choose. We hold monthly cavity free contests and have a treasure box filled with toys for the children to select. Video entertainment is available for our young patients in all rooms. Most importantly however, is a friendly, fun and caring team to make your child’s visits an enjoyable one. We are able to treat all but the most challenging child patient.

Our pediatric dentistry services include:

Comprehensive Evaluation and Dental Cleaning – Your child should come to our office every six months for an oral evaluation. During this appointment, their teeth will be cleaned to remove plaque and tartar and polished to remove stains and prevent new plaque deposits from forming.

Fluoride Treatments – Fluoride is critical for children’s dental health because of its ability to strengthen the tooth enamel and prevent cavities. Most children should have fluoride treatments during each of their biannual evaluation and cleaning appointments, but some children who are particularly susceptible to cavities may need more frequent treatments.

Dental Sealants – Sealants are one of the most effective tools we have when it comes to preventing tooth decay. Many children have grooves in their teeth that can collect food debris and bacteria, which creates the perfect conditions for cavities to form. Sealants are a safe material that is painted onto the teeth to seal these grooves to keep bacteria out.

Restorative Dentistry – When a tooth is damaged or suffers decay, we use restorative treatments like dental fillings and crowns to repair the tooth and return it to its original strength, function, and appearance.

It’s recommended that children first see the dentist around the age of 12 months or within 6 months of the eruption of their first tooth, whichever comes first. These early appointments help us get to know you and your child; we’ll also instruct you on how to care for your child’s teeth and ensure that they’re erupting properly.

Just like adults, children should see the dentist every six months. Preventive care is especially critical for children and frequent dental visits allow us to catch potential issues before they become big problems.

If you bring your child to their first appointment around the age of 12 months, we may do some gentle brushing, but it’s very rare that we’d actually have to do teeth cleaning. As they get older and become more comfortable with our team, we will start to do a more thorough dental cleaning at each appointment. That said, if we notice significant stains and plaque deposits, we may need to do a more traditional dental cleaning for younger children to prevent cavities.

Dental sealants are optional, but we do recommend them, particularly for children who have a history of tooth decay or have teeth that naturally have more pits and grooves in them. They are highly effective and much more affordable than dental fillings and crowns.

Yes, cavities in baby teeth need to be filled. Decay that is left untreated can cause pain and other complications. The only exception to this is if a tooth is about to fall out anyway—in these cases, there’s no need to fill the cavity.

Call 401-364-6300 to schedule your appointment.