Why Are Routine Visits Important For Your Children?
Routine visits to the dentist are an essential part of a child’s health. You may wonder, why are baby teeth even important? Keeping an eye on your child’s oral health and making sure everything is going smoothly is essential to sending them on the right track as they grow and develop. Regular visits help make sure to avoid potential health issues or address them right away if any do arise. Our routine examinations are thorough and comprehensive to ensure your child’s oral health is in great condition.
Dental Cleaning Exams
At regularly scheduled visits to Valley Pediatric Dentistry, you and your child will be brought by one of our wonderful dental hygienists or EFDAs. The dental hygienist or EFDA will check your child’s teeth and gums to make sure everything is developing well. They will also provide a fun dental cleaning.
We should be seeing your child every 6 months to perform a routine cleaning and fluoride treatment. This helps assist you and your child in the prevention of tooth decay and gum disease that can occur from untreated plaque.
X-Rays and Imaging
A dental X-ray is one of the most important tools that we use to track your child’s tooth development and evaluate for possible decay that may not be visible during a clinical examination. The ability to detect and treat cavities early in children is vital to their oral health and development.
A dental x-ray is a very safe tool (with very minimal radiation exposure) available to help diagnose oral health issues that would otherwise go unseen
According to the AADP, dental x-rays for children are recommended based on the following conditions:
- Preventative Radiographs
- History of tooth decay
- Pain of teeth and/or gums
- Gum Disease
- Bleeding in the gums or mouth
- Loose Teeth
- Abnormal tooth eruption, color, or other condition
- Swelling in the gums or mouth
Our team can answer any questions you may have about the use of dental x-rays and their benefits to your child’s dental and overall health!
Fluoride
Fluoride helps fight the bad bacteria, reducing the possibility of cavities and helping to keep a healthy & happy smile. Our trained staff will educate on the appropriate amount of fluoride to use that is safe for your child.
Fluoride is a mineral that is naturally found in water and many foods. While you receive a certain amount of fluoride from your diet and from using toothpaste with fluoride, we may recommend fluoride treatment to further strengthen your teeth and prevent cavities.
Fluoride helps to strengthen your teeth and protect them from tooth decay. As you eat and drink throughout the day, bacteria, sugars and acids constantly attack and demineralize the enamel of your teeth. Fluoride works to remineralize tooth enamel, preventing tooth decay and cavities. In addition, fluoride can strengthen teeth as they develop to make sure they are strong and healthy. This makes fluoride very important for children as their teeth grow in.
Our dentists and team members may recommend professional fluoride treatment during your regular dental checkup. We may suggest further fluoride treatment if your teeth are prone to decay or if you are not receiving a sufficient amount of fluoride from other sources. Fluoride treatment is just one of the ways our team helps you keep your smile healthy for a lifetime. For more information about preventive dentistry and the benefits of fluoride, we welcome you to contact us today. We are eager to care for your smile!
After the treatment is over, be sure to wait until after 30 minutes has passed before giving your little one anything to eat or drink. This makes sure all the fluoride is absorbed for maximum effectiveness and proper enamel repair.
Sealants
Sealants are used as an essential method to avoid tooth decay. Permanent posterior molars often time erupt with deep pits and fissures that make it very easy for food to get stuck in spots that even your toothbrush cannot clean. Sealants cover those deep groves on the chewing surface of the back teeth and create a shield against food and bacteria to protect against cavities.
Children and adults can benefit from sealants, but it is typically recommended as soon as the eruption process is complete. A child’s first molars appear around age 6, and second molars break through around age 12. Sealing these teeth as soon as they come through can help keep them cavity-free from the start along with good home care.
Have any more questions? You can contact us! We can provide you with any additional information you may have on this topic or anything else you would like to know about your child’s oral health.
