Visiting us
Questions parents actually ask us
These are the questions we hear most in the Bartlett and Atoka offices, answered the same way we would answer them at the front desk. If your child needs more specific guidance, tell us their age and what is going on when you send a message.
All seven, in full
Every question, every answer
Curious about a specific treatment first? See our full list of treatments, or read what to do the night before an appointment on our before an appointment page.
The American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry recommends a first visit by the child's first birthday. We agree with that, and we think it is time for the first visit when the first tooth appears. From age one we like to see children for an exam every six months, and we usually attempt a first cleaning around age three.
Fluoridated toothpaste is recommended for children three and over. Under three, the dentist decides whether it is needed on an individual basis.
Up to their 21st birthday, at which point they move on to a general dentist. Patients with special needs are the exception, and it matters to us: we will continue to see patients with special needs past their 21st birthday and into adulthood with no age cutoff.
Thumbsucking after age three, or pacifier use after age two, can cause an anterior open bite or a posterior crossbite. We have suggestions that work, from sticker calendars to cold turkey and gradual weaning, and there is a prize in the office for the child who breaks the habit.
This is common in patients under four and it is caused by the trauma. Some teeth lighten again over time and some darken further. A dark tooth can mean the nerve is no longer alive and may abscess, so book an exam and let us look at it.
The CDC reports that about half of children aged six to nine have one or more decayed, filled or missing teeth, so you are not alone. Brush twice a day under supervision, floss once a day, keep sugars down including juice, come in every six months for a cleaning and exam with topical fluoride, fill cavities promptly and ask us about sealants.
If a permanent tooth is knocked out it can often be re-implanted. Place the teeth in milk or water; do not try to clean off the teeth, and call us immediately. Baby teeth should not be re-implanted; control the bleeding with gauze or a tea bag. After hours, call (901) 550-5564.
After hours
A knocked out or badly hurt tooth cannot wait for office hours
If a permanent tooth has been knocked out, place it in milk or water, do not clean it, and call us immediately. Baby teeth should not be re-implanted. For any dental emergency outside our regular hours, call our after hours line.