Children’s dentistry is a great way to help kids enjoy better oral health and avoid issues such as tooth decay. From babies and toddlers to teens, this can help manage the strength of teeth and gums. In today’s blog, your Ankeny, IA, dentist talks about helping little smiles with children’s dental care.
When to Start Treatment for Your Kids
When do kids need to see the dentist? Well, we recommend an initial wellness visit at around age one, an appointment that happens after the first baby tooth erupts. This visit doesn’t usually involve any treatment. Once your little ones reach age two, we recommend a routine checkup and cleaning for them every six months, just like we recommend for you. During this appointment, we will closely examine the teeth, gums, and underlying structures with digital x-rays and intraoral cameras, providing a diagnosis with precision and assessing any potential risks to their oral health. Our team also cleans the teeth in the same visit to remove the plaque and tartar buildup that could otherwise lead to tooth decay and even gingivitis.
Preventing Cavities
Our team also wants to help prevent the onset of cavities, so we can offer unique treatments to do so. As a part of the regular checkup and cleaning visit, our team can apply fluoride to the teeth in a varnish form, a layer that helps strengthen the outer enamel to prevent cavities. The application takes only seconds and kids just need to avoid food and drink for about a half hour as the material cures.
We also know that kids have trouble reaching the rear teeth when they brush and floss, which means food and drink particles can stay trapped between the molars, allowing cavities to form. But we can coat these rear teeth with a thin acrylic layer, one that helps prevent food and drink particles from being trapped between teeth they have trouble reaching, so the risk of decay lowers. Sealants take seconds to apply and stay in place for years to come!
Discussing Better Homecare Habits
Our team also takes time to talk to your little ones about the risks posed by too much sugar, and can talk about better brushing and flossing habits too, so children can better care for their own smiles and lower the risk of complications like tooth decay. If you have any questions about how we help kids with children’s dentistry, or if you would like to schedule a visit for your little one, then reach out to our team today.
Dental Impressions Talks About Children’s Dental Care
Our team wants to help children of all ages, from toddlers to teens, maintain good oral health. To schedule an appointment and provide children’s dentistry, then call Dental Impressions in Ankeny, IA today at (515) 965-0230.
