Improve Your Child’s Oral Health With Early Dental Visits

Cleanings & Prevention

Both pediatricians and dentists recommend parents and guardians to begin their children’s regular dental visits at an earlier age. How early should a child start their dentist visit? Some say a child’s first visit should happen around their first birthday. Some question whether it is necessary to start that early since at that stage children have only a few primary teeth which eventually give way to permanent set of teeth later on. However, what most people don’t realize is that starting your child’s dental care soon enough can make a positive difference even at the early age of one. The following are oral health areas that your child could benefit early dental visits:

Protect Primary Teeth From Decay

Naturally, primary teeth or milk teeth do not last long since they have to give way to permanent sets after a while. Milk teeth play a critical role in a child’s oral health and development and during their short tenure, they preserve the space for permanent sets later on. Primary teeth provide a child dental function for speaking, eating and smiling. Without proper dental care, primary teeth are prone to decay and if these teeth do not remain as long as they should, permanent teeth can erupt out of position to form a poor bite. That is why early dental care is very important since it prevents and treats decay in primary teeth to help them remain as long as they should.

Detect Developing Malocclusions

Malocclusion is a condition where permanent teeth grow out of position, forming a poor bite. Before a Malocclusion forms, there are subtle signs of its development during early childhood. An orthodontist or a pediatric dentist is often able to detect these signs before the malocclusion fully develops. When detected early, malocclusion can be prevented from forming. That is why it is important that every child should have a dental evaluation around age six.

Develop a Healthy Dentist-Patient Relationship

Many adults experience dental anxiety which usually develops due to unpleasant experiences during childhood. People who experience severe dental anxiety tend to avoid professional dental care altogether, resulting in dental problems later on in life. Starting dental visits while a child is still very young helps to minimize the development of dental anxiety. Taking a child to a kid-friendly dental clinic will make him or her less likely to be afraid of the experience.

What To Expect During Early Dental Visits

Before the visit, you need to ensure that your child is well fed and well rested around the time of the appointment. Make sure that you bring along your child’s current medications and records of his health history. If your child shows any signs of anxiety about the visit, try to ease their worries by watching shows that help visualize what the visit will be like.

On the first visit, a dentist usually takes a full health history of your child. During the follow-up visits, your dentist will typically educate you as the parent or guardian on proper gum and tooth care. You will be taught brushing techniques so that you are able to assist your child with oral care. On subsequent visits, your dentist will perform thorough dental cleaning to remove built-up tartar and plaque. A dental examination will also be performed to look for any signs of disease or other problems.

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