What are the benefits of starting children early with regular dental cleanings every six months?
Children should have regular cleanings every six months. The benefits of starting children early is checking for orthodontic concerns, caries, eruption of permanent teeth, and teaching children the benefits of oral health.
During appointments, children receive lots of praise and explanations. Dr. Kelly or the dental assistant will introduce a tool to the child and demonstrates how it will be used before the work begins. Answering questions honestly, but with special terms, also helps.
We try to make children’s experience pleasant by allowing the children to participate, such as wearing gloves and masks, and sometimes helping suction. We also have a toy cupboard that has over 20 items to choose from, letting them pick fun prizes after each successful visit.
Why is it important to prevent tooth decay with regular checkups, fluoride treatments, and tooth sealants for children?
Tooth decay is caused by sugars left in your mouth that turn into an acid, which can break down your teeth. Children are at high risk for tooth decay for a simple reason: many children and adolescents do not practice regular, good oral hygiene habits. Proper brushing and flossing routines combined with regular dental visits to our office help keep tooth decay away. Your child should visit Dr. Kelly’s office every six months for regular dental cleanings and checkups. We recommend fluoride treatments twice a year along with cleanings to keep teeth their strongest. Tooth sealants are also recommended because they "seal" the deep grooves in your child's teeth, preventing decay from forming in these hard-to-reach areas. Sealants last for several years, but will be monitored at your child's regular checkups.