{"id":133,"date":"2022-02-16T18:20:30","date_gmt":"2022-02-16T18:20:30","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.simplypedoorthorandolph.com\/blog\/?p=133"},"modified":"2022-02-16T18:20:31","modified_gmt":"2022-02-16T18:20:31","slug":"an-inside-look-at-the-history-of-pediatric-dentistry","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.simplypedoorthorandolph.com\/blog\/2022\/02\/16\/an-inside-look-at-the-history-of-pediatric-dentistry\/","title":{"rendered":"An Inside Look at the History of Pediatric Dentistry"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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Nowadays, children begin their biannual dental checkups and cleanings around their first birthday (or sooner if their first tooth emerges before then). However, this is a relatively new practice. After all, the field of pediatric dentistry<\/a> didn\u2019t gain traction until the 1900s! To learn about the history of this important specialty, read on!<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

A Humble Start<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Back in 1913, an American dentist opened the world\u2019s first oral hygiene school. The women who attended cleaned the teeth of school children, which put pediatric dentistry on the map. Around the same time, a dental assistant in Los Angeles opened a practice just for kids, which was the first of its kind. Her inspiration came from in-depth research she conducted in college on the effects of food and sugar on children\u2019s teeth. This tandem focus on the health of kids\u2019 smiles was the start of the pediatric dentistry we know today!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Road to National Recognition<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Thanks to the hard work of the pioneers mentioned above, the awareness of the importance of pediatric dentistry spread. As a result, the American Dental Association recognized pediatric dentistry as its own specialty in the 1940s. This led to more and more families prioritizing their children\u2019s dental health, increasing the statistics of kid\u2019s going to the dentist to about 50%! Now, dentists can tailor their training specifically to maintaining, restoring, and enhancing growing smiles.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Pediatric Dentistry Today<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Over the years, there have been some \u201cwins\u201d on the pediatric dentistry front. For example, nearly 90% of children visit their dentist annually. With that said, there is some room for improvement. Currently, more than 90% of Americans have at least one cavity by their 21st<\/sup> birthday. Additionally, over 40% of children between the ages of 2 and 11 have experienced tooth decay. For this reason, pediatric dentistry is just as important today!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

7 Tips for a Happy, Decay-Free Smile<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

If you\u2019re looking for some actionable tips to help keep your child\u2019s smile decay-free, here are seven:<\/p>\n\n\n\n