Preventative Care Is the Best Care
Quality dental care is an important part of childhood. It can set up beneficial habits and ways to keep a child’s teeth healthy for their entire life. That’s why we highly recommend preventative care. Your child, of course, needs you to supervise the care of their teeth daily at home and make the right appointments for twice-yearly cleanings and exams. Plus, if they do need braces and teeth extraction, doing that at the right time in the development of the mouth is so important. This can prevent future problems from occurring. Let’s look at why preventative care is such a vital part of oral health, and how the right pediatric dental practice can provide your child with quality dental care in a family-friendly setting.
The First Appointment Age
One of the most important appointments you can make for your child regarding their dental care is the very first one. This should come six months after the first tooth erupts or by the first birthday. The American Academy of Pediatrics and the American Dental Association agree on this young age as part of the “early and often” theory of care.
At this first appointment, we’re basically just making sure that all their baby teeth are coming in correctly and answering any questions you may have about home care and oral health of your young child. We will complete a full exam of the mouth, jaw, gums, and those tiny new chompers. Having this first appointment so early will get your child used to coming into our office. Our goal is to make the experience for any child as seamless and comfortable as possible. After that first appointment, the goal is to come in for an appointment every six months for regular dental care. It’s important not to miss these appointments because we’re looking for cavities, inflammation, or other oral health issues.
Preventative Treatments We Offer
Other than coming in twice a year for in-depth professional dental cleanings, there are some additional preventative treatments that we offer at Ponte Vedra Pediatric Dentistry and Orthodontics. This includes fluoride treatments, which can help to strengthen tooth enamel and ward off decay. It’s a safe and effective treatment that’s been used as a part of preventative care for decades.
Another preventative treatment is the use of sealants. These consist of a material that is placed on the chewing surface of the back molars to help prevent cavities from forming in those hard to reach areas. They will ensure improved oral health for most of their childhood and beyond. The good news is that getting sealants is painless and easy and only takes a few minutes in the dental chair.
The final part of a good preventative care plan is regular cleanings and exams. These appointments should take place every six months. Your child will get accustomed to coming in from such a young age and will be comforted by seeing the friendly faces of the staff at our pediatric dental practice. We offer a caring and gentle environment. We know not every child is going to love going to the dentist. But we’ll make it as easy as possible.
At Home Best Mouth Care
During this part of preventative care you’ll need to supervise your child’s flossing and brushing habits until they are older. That includes brushing twice a day and flossing daily. You will need to help little ones with brushing until they can master the skill on their own. There are definitely strategies to make oral health fun and we can help to give you a few tips when you visit our pediatric dental office.
The more that you stress about taking care of their teeth and mouth, the better off they will be for the rest of their life.
Contact Us to Schedule a Preventative Care Dental Appointment
Contact us if you have any questions about preventative dental care for your child. We’re happy to schedule an appointment for their first dental visit and each one after that to optimize dental health for your child.