{"id":184,"date":"2024-12-13T18:10:26","date_gmt":"2024-12-13T18:10:26","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.surfsupdental.com\/blog\/?p=184"},"modified":"2025-01-29T18:11:14","modified_gmt":"2025-01-29T18:11:14","slug":"4-myths-about-childrens-dentistry-busted","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.surfsupdental.com\/blog\/4-myths-about-childrens-dentistry-busted\/","title":{"rendered":"Who You Gonna Call? The Dentist! 4 Myths About Children\u2019s Dentistry Busted!"},"content":{"rendered":"<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"alignleft size-full is-resized\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.surfsupdental.com\/blog\/4-myths-about-childrens-dentistry-busted\/\" class=\"block-image-link\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"800\" height=\"478\" src=\"https:\/\/www.surfsupdental.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/AdobeStock_380571313-1.jpeg\" alt=\"Young patient surprised by children\u2019s dentistry myths\" class=\"wp-image-185\" style=\"width:319px;height:auto\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.surfsupdental.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/AdobeStock_380571313-1.jpeg 800w, https:\/\/www.surfsupdental.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/AdobeStock_380571313-1-300x179.jpeg 300w, https:\/\/www.surfsupdental.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/AdobeStock_380571313-1-768x459.jpeg 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\" \/><\/a><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<p>It can be difficult to sort through all the parenting advice online, especially when it comes to children\u2019s dentistry. It seems like everyone has an opinion and sometimes they can be aggressively wrong! But how are you supposed to know fact from fiction? Misconceptions about <a href=\"https:\/\/www.surfsupdental.com\/what-we-do.html\">children\u2019s dental care<\/a> can lead to problems down the road, so it\u2019s important to get information from trusted sources. Continue reading to see five common myths about children\u2019s dentistry busted so you can set the record straight!<\/p>\n\n\n\n<!--more-->\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Myth #1: Baby Teeth Don\u2019t Matter<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>It\u2019s easy to assume that baby teeth aren\u2019t important because they just fall out anyway, but that\u2019s not the case! Baby teeth help children chew properly, speak clearly, and hold space for adult teeth. So, when it comes to oral health and development, timing is everything. If they\u2019re lost too early due to decay, it can lead to alignment issues and increased cavity risk.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Myth #2: Kids Don&#8217;t Need to See a Dentist Before They Start School<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Somewhere along the line, many parents began to believe that dental visits aren\u2019t necessary for kids until they have a full set of teeth. However, the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry (AAPD) recommends that children have their first dental visit much sooner!<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>So, try to make an appointment for your child by their first birthday or within six months of their first tooth erupting. This will help prevent cavities, detect issues early, and establish positive memories for future dental visits.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Myth #3: Fluoride Is Dangerous<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Fluoride often gets a bad reputation, but it\u2019s actually one of the best defenses against cavities. Some parents worry about fluoride being unsafe, especially because there is a lot of misinformation being shared about it. However, when used properly and in moderation, fluoride is one of the best tools for strengthening enamel and preventing decay.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Myth #4: Thumb-Sucking and Pacifiers Don\u2019t Affect Teeth<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Many parents believe that thumb-sucking or pacifier use won\u2019t affect their child\u2019s teeth. However, if prolonged, these habits can lead to alignment issues later in life! For example, if continued past age three or four, sucking on a pacifier or thumb may affect the development of their jaw and how their adult teeth come in.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>By busting these common myths, you can make informed choices about your child\u2019s dental health. Good oral care starts early, and regular visits to the dentist ensure your child\u2019s smile stays bright and healthy for life!<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">About the Author<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.surfsupdental.com\/meet-the-dentist.html\">Dr. Bryce Cushing<\/a> is a proud pediatric dentist who loves to help kids learn more about their smiles. He earned his dental doctorate from the Virginia Commonwealth University School of Dentistry, graduating with honors. He then completed his specialty training at the University of Florida College of Dentistry\u2014one of the top five pediatric programs in the country! Call (402) 773-7873 to schedule an appointment for your child at Surf&#8217;s Up Pediatric Dentistry or <a href=\"https:\/\/www.surfsupdental.com\/\">visit our website<\/a> to learn more about our services.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"It can be difficult to sort through all the parenting advice online, especially when it comes to children\u2019s dentistry. It seems like everyone has an opinion and sometimes they can be aggressively wrong! But how are you supposed to know fact from fiction? Misconceptions about children\u2019s dental care can lead to problems down the road, so it\u2019s important to get information from trusted sources. Continue reading to see five common myths about children\u2019s dentistry busted so you can set the record straight! <a class=\"read-more\" href=\"https:\/\/www.surfsupdental.com\/blog\/4-myths-about-childrens-dentistry-busted\/\">(Read More)<\/a>","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-184","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-uncategorized"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v27.4 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>4 Myths About Children&#039;s Dentistry | Surf&#039;s Up Pediatric Dentistry<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Children\u2019s dentistry often gets overlooked as many parents aren\u2019t aware of its importance. Here are four myths you might believe, busted!\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.surfsupdental.com\/blog\/4-myths-about-childrens-dentistry-busted\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"4 Myths About Children&#039;s Dentistry | Surf&#039;s Up Pediatric Dentistry\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Children\u2019s dentistry often gets overlooked as many parents aren\u2019t aware of its importance. Here are four myths you might believe, busted!\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/www.surfsupdental.com\/blog\/4-myths-about-childrens-dentistry-busted\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"Surf&#039;s Up Pediatric Dentistry Blog\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2024-12-13T18:10:26+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2025-01-29T18:11:14+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/www.surfsupdental.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/AdobeStock_380571313-1.jpeg\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"surfsupdental\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"surfsupdental\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"3 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\\\/\\\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"Article\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.surfsupdental.com\\\/blog\\\/4-myths-about-childrens-dentistry-busted\\\/#article\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.surfsupdental.com\\\/blog\\\/4-myths-about-childrens-dentistry-busted\\\/\"},\"author\":{\"name\":\"surfsupdental\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.surfsupdental.com\\\/blog\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/person\\\/02248c9bd6380c3ced5370e23ecfe3e1\"},\"headline\":\"Who You Gonna Call? 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