Even though kids eventually lose their baby teeth, it is still vital to keep these teeth healthy by seeing a kid-friendly dentist frequently. In combination with teaching your kids to keep up with a good oral hygiene routine, seeing a kid-friendly dentist is the most important thing you can do for the oral health of your child.
Baby teeth are extremely important, and ensuring the health of this first set of teeth can determine the future health of adult teeth as the child grows older. If baby teeth are decayed, damaged or neglected, they can fall out more quickly than what is naturally intended. This can cause jaw development issues, misalignment of adult teeth and subsequent issues with a heightened risk of tooth decay.
Since kids are not known for their ability to brush their teeth properly (or often enough), tooth decay is prevalent in baby teeth. If your kid is prone to tooth decay, the dentist may recommend seeing them more often.
When is it time to take your kid to the dentist?
Kid-friendly dentists recommend a dental checkup and cleaning every six months, starting before the first birthday or when the first tooth appears. However, if a child has gum inflammation or any other oral health issues, it may be beneficial to take them to a kid-friendly dentist every four months or so.
Kid-friendly dentists not only clean and examine the teeth. They also provide helpful information regarding preventative care. Protecting teeth from decay is one of the most important parts of keeping teeth healthy. This includes brushing teeth, fluoride treatments, professional dental cleanings and flossing.
Even with excellent care, baby teeth are still at risk for decay. Habits like thumb sucking, tongue thrusting and lip sucking can all affect the health of future adult teeth. If these habits continue into early childhood, a kid-friendly dentist can help to combat these impulsions and prevent misalignment of teeth. Misaligned teeth are an expensive problem to fix, and may raise the risk of tooth decay and TMJ (jaw joint pain). Get ahead of these issues by visiting the kid-friendly dentist at least twice per year, even if there is no apparent dental problem.
Remember that even when baby teeth appear to be fine, there could be underlying issues that cannot be identified with a visual examination. X-rays and other imaging technologies can help to catch gum and teeth issues before they become a painful problem for the child.
Frequent visits to the kid-friendly dentist can also help to build a good relationship between the dentist and child. This can establish a level of trust that translates into a less fearful experience for future dental procedures.
It may be time to visit your kid-friendly dentist
Building up the importance of lifelong dental care at a young age sets a precedent for maintaining excellent oral health into adulthood. Give your child their best chance at a life filled with healthy teeth and stress-free dental checkups by calling our office today to set up an initial appointment.
Request an appointment here: https://escondidofamilydentistry.com/ or call Escondido Family Dental Care & Specialty Center at (760) 747-7223 for an appointment in our Escondido office.
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