Pacifiers, thumbs, teething and brushing
Teething, pacifiers, thumbs and brushing are most of what parents ask about before age three, so we talk through them at each visit.
Dr. Chandran looks at how the teeth and jaw are coming in and suggests small changes at home. Nothing needs to change overnight.
At this visit
We ask how things are going at home
We look at how teeth and jaw are coming in
You leave with one or two small things to try
What happens
- 01
Step 1: We ask
How your child sleeps, feeds, soothes and brushes, in your words.
- 02
Step 2: We look
Dr. Chandran checks how the teeth are coming in and how the upper and lower teeth meet.
- 03
Step 3: We suggest
A small change, such as a different brushing time, a new way to soothe or a gentler way to end a pacifier.
- 04
Step 4: We check again
At the next visit we see how it went and adjust.
Comfort, waiting and after-care
Comfort
This visit needs only a mirror. No one is pressed to change a habit at the visit.
If you wait
Many sucking habits fade on their own. Dr. Chandran tells you if one is changing how the teeth fit, and what to try.
Risks and after-care
Ask us before using teething gels or tablets. Do not put aspirin on a child’s gums. For brushing, she shows you how much toothpaste is right at your child’s age.
How it is billed
This is part of a regular visit, billed to your plan if you have one, or quoted in writing first.
How fees work
Questions about teething and habits
When will my baby’s first tooth come in?
It varies from child to child. Bring it up at the first visit and Dr. Chandran will look.
How long can my child use a pacifier?
She talks it through at your child’s visits. Many children stop on their own.
How much toothpaste should I use?
She shows you the amount for your child’s age at the visit, and why.
Provided by a pediatric dentist
Dr. Padma Chandran, DDS, pediatric dentist, licensed in Wisconsin. Her training and board are on her profile.