Great professional dental care starts early on. It’s recommended that you book your child’s first dental appointment as soon as their first tooth comes in, or by their first birthday. This may seem rather young, however, there are a few benefits of getting your child into the habit of having regular dental checkups. Regular exams are invaluable for the following:
- Enabling your pediatric dentist to check your child’s teeth and jaws are developing correctly
- Checking they don’t have any untreated cavities or gum disease
- Getting advice on the best way to look after your child’s teeth
- Finding out when you should begin using fluoride toothpaste
- Advice on the best products to use ( you can gain lots of tips and tricks on how to make brushing and flossing more fun)
- Advice on habits such as teeth grinding and snoring
- Reducing the risk of needing emergency dental care
Regular Exams Take the Fear out of Dental Care
Early professional dental care helps get your child into the routine of visiting the dentist. It’s important for your child to grow up seeing regular dental checkups as something that should be done, rather than something to fear. Additionally, it’s easier for your dentist to fix something minute, than have to carry out more extensive restorative work (from neglecting proper dental care).
Reducing the Risk of Cavities
Cavities can be a problem for young children and it’s important to look after their milk teeth, even though they will be replaced by adult teeth. Milk teeth help hold open the correct amount of space for adult teeth so they can come in normally. If they are lost too soon it can result in the adult teeth coming through crooked, or out of alignment. Early tooth loss can also make it more difficult for your child to eat properly and learn to speak clearly. Tooth decay is painful at any age, and may make it difficult for your child to concentrate at school.
Identifying Problems That Could Require Orthodontic Treatment
Regular dental exams help your dentist check on the development of your child’s adult teeth. If necessary, your pediatric dentist in New York can refer your child to see an orthodontist, as sometimes early intervention can help reduce the need for braces in the future. You’ll also find your dentist can give you useful advice on how to deal with oral habits, such as finger or thumb sucking, or the extended use of a pacifier. These habits can all increase the risk of orthodontic problems if they carry on beyond early childhood.
Looking after Your Child’s Teeth into Adulthood
As your child grows up, you’ll find your dentist offers a range of treatments to help look after young teeth. This can include the use of dental sealants to protect their brand new adult teeth, and custom made mouth guards to protect their teeth during sporting activities.
Visit our page on prevention for more information!