Children present with some unique dental needs simply because their mouth and jaws will go through several changes as the natural cycle of primary and permanent tooth eruption takes place and the jaws continue to develop and grow. Because of these changes that take place as a child grows, it is important for your child visit the dentist every 6 months starting by the age of 1 year.
By having your child examined by a dentist every 6 months, problems such as tooth decay, gingivitis, and any issues with the development and alignment of the teeth and jaws, can be diagnosed and treated early before developing into something more serious and complicated to treat.
Before your child visits the dentist for the first time, call the dental office and ask what you should expect for the first dental appointment so you will be able to better prepare your child for their first visit.
Tooth decay is the most common childhood disease. It is also a preventable disease with proper oral care. No child is too young to begin a good oral hygiene routine.
Primary, (baby), teeth are the placeholders for the adult teeth. Your child will have their primary teeth for many years until all of the permanent teeth have emerged. It is extremely important to develop a good oral hygiene routine with your child to help prevent tooth decay and gum disease, keeping the primary teeth healthy until the adult tooth emerges. If a primary tooth is lost prematurely, it impacts the eruption of the adult tooth. Decay in primary teeth can also spread to the adult tooth before the tooth emerges.
To further help prevent tooth decay, a dentist will often apply sealants to the child’s teeth. Sealants are a thin clear or white coating that is placed in the deep grooves, pits, and fissures of the teeth preventing decay from developing in these hard to clean areas of a tooth.
Fluoride is also used to help strengthen the teeth and prevent tooth decay. Fluoride treatments are given to children at each 6 month check-up and teeth cleaning. Fluoride supplements may also be recommended in addition to using toothpaste that contains fluoride. Never give your child fluoride supplements without first consulting with your dentist. Too much fluoride is not healthy and it can lead to problems with the developing adult teeth.
To schedule your child’s professional exam and cleaning, contact Family Smiles Dental Group at 972-539-0608 today.