Berry's Children Dental of Bowie

Brushing and Flossing When you have braces, it's very important to brush and floss after every meal in order to keep your teeth and gums healthy throughout your orthodontic treatment. If you need help choosing the right toothbrush, toothpaste, and dental floss, please ask us and we can help you choose the right products for your teeth and your appliance. Brushing with Braces Brush your teeth for two minutes after every meal with a soft-bristled, small-headed toothbrush and fluoride toothpaste. As an alternative, you can use a powered toothbrush to increase your brushing effectiveness. Brush the outside and inside surfaces of your teeth using small, gentle, circular motions while positioning the head of the toothbrush at a 45-degree angle to the gum line. Brush your teeth’s chewing surfaces and the inside surface of your front teeth using short, gentle, back-and-forth motions. Pay close attention to the areas around your brackets or other appliances. Flossing with Braces Flossing after every meal will help keep your teeth and braces clean, which will also help keep your treatment time on track. To floss with braces, use a floss threader or special orthodontic floss to thread the floss behind each wire. Wrap the ends of the floss around your pointer fingers of both hands, leaving a few inches of taut floss between them. Gently slide the floss between each set of teeth using a back and forth motion. Floss the sides of each tooth beneath the gum line to remove plaque and food particles. Repeat this process until you’ve flossed all of your teeth. If you find that your floss is not removing all of the food particles between your teeth and around your braces, ask us about a water flosser!

We offer comprehensive pediatric dental care for babies through the teen years.

The American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry recommends that children see a dentist by their first birthday to ensure all is progressing well. Early childhood caries (tooth decay) can develop rapidly, progressing from the hard, outer enamel layer of a tooth into the softer, inner dentin in six months or less.

Healthy Smile Habits: As your child grows, we focus on prevention and education to ensure their smile remains healthy. Our goal is to help children learn and develop consistent oral hygiene habits.

When necessary, we use composite fillings with a tooth-colored resin to fill in cavities. As a result, fillings blend in naturally.

True orthodontic emergencies are rare, but when they occur we are available to you. As a general rule, you should call our office when you experience severe pain or have a painful appliance problem you can't take care of yourself. We'll be able to schedule an appointment to resolve the problem. You might be surprised to learn that you may be able to solve many problems yourself temporarily until you can get to our office. If there is a loose piece that you can remove, put it in a plastic bag or envelope and bring it with you to your next appointment. If your braces are poking you, put soft wax on the piece that's sticking out. If the wire has slid to one side, you can pull it back to the other side with needle-nosed pliers, replacing it in the tube on the back tooth. After alleviating your discomfort, it is very important that you still call our office as soon as possible to schedule a time to repair the problem. Allowing your appliance to remain damaged for an extended period of time may result in disruptions to your treatment plan.

Also known as 'laughing gas,' nitrous oxide is widely used in pediatric dental offices to help a nervous child get through dental treatment with a smile. It is safe, has a rapid onset, and is quickly eliminated from the body after breathing 100% oxygen post-treatment.

If your child is anxious about a cavity filling, we offer needle free white fillings. Ask our doctors if your child is a candidate for laser fillings.

During their regular six-month appointment, your child will experience a gentle and thorough cleaning to help prevent cavities and promote overall oral health.

A plastic coating can be professionally applied to prevent cavities by sealing the chewing surfaces. Dental sealants are easy to apply and provide years of protection.

We use a laser to create normal tongue function, allowing a baby to latch and breastfeed efficiently. Proper function also promotes normal speech development, helps self-cleansing during eating, improves swallowing, and supports proper growth and development.

When a tooth has decay, disease, trauma, or may impede normal oral development, we remove the tooth.

General anesthesia may be recommended for children with extensive dental needs, certain medical conditions, or those who cannot cooperate while awake. The child is asleep and all dental work is completed at one time under the supervision of an anesthesiologist.