When it comes to taking care of your child’s smile, their dentist is your partner in teaching healthy oral hygiene habits. As they grow into adolescence, regular dental checkups provide opportunities to monitor the development of their teeth, gums, and jaw. Because kids are still learning to fully brush and floss their little smiles, cleanings are vital to prevent decay and disease from impacting this growth. At each appointment, we will inspect the results of their daily hygiene routines and guide areas for improvement. If we detect a cavity or gum infection, we will offer immediate care to stop these problems from progressing. We also offer services specifically designed for kids, such as dental sealants and fluoride treatments to best serve their smiles. Sealants provide a physical barrier against the corrosive effects of decay-causing dental plaque. Similarly, applying a fluoride gel to their enamel remineralizes the surface layer of their teeth to help them withstand the acidic byproduct of plaque.
At your Ankeny, IA dental practice, we work with every member of your family to promote healthy smiles. When meeting children for the first time, we create a welcoming environment to help ease them into the routine of dental checkups. By starting these trips at an early age, we hope to instill a preventive attitude toward their oral care!
Introducing Your Child To Their First Dental Visit
When you begin taking your child to regular dental appointments, you teach them the importance of caring for their smiles across their entire lifetime. We suggest scheduling their first visit as soon as their first tooth erupts or by their first birthday, whichever happens first. At this initial meeting, we will introduce ourselves with a knee-to-knee lap exam. While you hold your child, we inspect their little mouth to see that the teeth are coming in as expected and perform a light cleaning. When they reach their second birthday, we advise scheduling biannual visits like you do for adult members of your family.
Placing A Dental Sealant
While children are still mastering the ability to consistently reach their back teeth, we offer dental sealants to protect their molars from tooth decay. Children are prone to decay in this area of the mouth when they lack the dexterity to reach their brush back each day. We hope to prevent the later need for a dental filling by offering this physical barrier to decay.
Speak With Your Ankeny, IA Dentist About Scheduling A Cleaning For Your Child
Teaching your children the skills to take care of their smiles will serve their oral health into adulthood. You can think of us are your partner in helping them develop into healthy individuals! To schedule a visit for one of your children, please call your Ankeny, IA dentist at (515)207-6182. We also serve patients from Alleman, Elkhart, Bondurant, and other surrounding communities.
