We don’t just offer care for adults. We want to help smiles of all ages, including kids, stay healthy and avoid issues like tooth decay. Our team can offer preventive treatments to help lower the risk of cavities in little smiles! In today’s blog, your Ankeny, IA, dentist talks about how we help little smiles with children’s dentistry.
Checkups and Cleanings for Kids
Kids need to undergo a checkup just like adults do, and the first should happen around age one. Starting at age two, children need an exam every six months just like everyone else. With the exam, we can look closely at their smiles and identify areas of potential concern, often before discomfort arises. We can look for cavities, gingivitis, and even factors that could lead to misalignment. Children become accustomed to seeing us and the risk of dental anxiety is lowered, and kids gain a better understanding of their oral health too.
In the same visit, we can also protect their smiles from tooth decay and gingivitis with a dental cleaning. A professional cleaning does what brushing and flossing alone cannot: completely remove all plaque and tartar buildup from the teeth. The process takes only a few minutes and helps ensure bright and healthy smiles for months to come.
Fluoride Treatments
Our team also offers preventive treatments to help lower the risk of tooth decay too. With a fluoride treatment, we apply fluoride directly to the teeth in a varnish form as part of the checkup process. This naturally-occurring mineral has been shown to strengthen the enamel, even weakened portions, to keep cavities at bay. The application only takes a few seconds and kids just need to avoid food and drink for about a half hour. They can also find fluoride in toothpaste, and we recommend a rice-sized amount for kids under the age of three, and a pea-sized amount for kids over the age of three.
Dental Sealants
Many children have trouble reaching the rear teeth when they brush and floss, so food and drink particles can remain trapped there, increasing the risk of tooth decay. But with dental sealants, our team can place a special acrylic coating on these teeth, which covers them so no particles can become trapped between them. The application process takes seconds, and these layers can stay in place for years to come, up to a decade in some cases.
If you have any questions about children’s dentistry, then contact our team today to learn more.
Protect Your Child’s Smile With Dental Impressions
Our team wants to help your little one smile with confidence and enjoy better oral health. To find out more about our approach to children’s dentistry, call Dental Impressions in Ankeny, IA today at (515) 965-0230.
