Healthy dental habits begin in childhood. Just like their parents, kids need routine checkups to ensure protection from threats such as tooth decay, cavities, or bacterial infections. Attending these appointments at an early age allow our children to develop a cleaning routine that provides a healthy smile into adulthood. At our Ankeny, IA dentist’s office, we have extensive experience providing care to kids while teaching them the importance of caring for their teeth on a regular schedule. We encourage you to bring in your child for their first appointment within six months of the appearance of their first tooth, or by their first birthday.
Arrange Your Child’s Checkup and Cleaning
All children can benefit from a semiannual checkup with our Ankeny, IA practice. At your child’s first dentist appointment, we will perform a simple examination of their new baby tooth and the health of their mouth. As they attend subsequent visits, we will monitor that their baby teeth appear and fall out at the appropriate times. As permanent teeth appear, we will examine their eruption for any complications. When your child reaches the appropriate age, we perform routine cleanings as well. The removal of plaque and tartar deposits lower the chance of your child developing cavities and gingival infection. We will also counsel your child on their daily brushing and flossing habits to improve dental health outside of the dentist’s office.
Treating A Child’s Cavity
If we do observe a cavity at your child’s examination, we will recommend the right dental filling to treat it effectively. We understand that restorative dentistry can be upsetting or scary for a child to contemplate, so we take a gentle approach when explaining our procedure. While this restoration stops the current decay of your child’s tooth, we will discuss practices to prevent future cavities from appearing. Diligently adhering to the daily brushing and flossing of their teeth as well as limiting their consumption of sugary food and drinks will go a long way in stopping cavity development.
Additional Dental Services For Kids
To further enhance the protection of your child’s teeth from possible decay, we will apply fluoride in a topical gel form at each visit. This gel strengthens the outer enamel of your child’s smile providing additional defense against harmful deposits. We advise against eating or drinking for half an hour while the fluoride sets into the teeth. We also offer dental sealants that can safeguard the molars of children that have trouble regularly reaching their back teeth at brush time.
Schedule A Child’s Dental Appointment With Your Ankeny, IA Dentist
Routine dental care begins in early childhood. With our personalized approach, we are equipped to help your child feel comfortable at each visit. For more information and to schedule a visit, call your Ankeny, IA dentist at 515-207-6182. We also serve patients from Alleman, Elkhart, Bondurant, and any other surrounding community.
