Just like adults, children need routine care to keep their smiles healthy and beautiful. What can you do to keep your child’s smile healthy? In today’s blog, we’re going to look at how preventive care can help instill good habits and protect smiles from the onset of cavities.
Regular Checkups and Cleanings
Once their first baby tooth arrives, children need to see the dentist. After the initial visit, routine checkups and cleanings will necessary every six months. These visits allow the dentist to watch for warning signs of developing issues, such as tooth decay and misalignment, recommending treatment before these problems can threaten a child’s oral health or the proper development of their smile. In addition, the cleanings help keep the teeth bright and breath fresh.
Brushing and Flossing at Home
In addition to routine six-month visits, kids also need to be caring for their smiles from home. For babies, you can help clean their teeth with gauze or a clean cloth. As more teeth arrive, you can upgrade to an age appropriate toothbrush and toothpaste. You will need to help your toddlers and young children brush and floss, or at least monitor to make sure they are taking proper care of their teeth. Like you, kids need to brush twice a day and floss every night before going to bed.
Baby Bottle Decay and Thumb Sucking
Two major issues that can impact oral health are baby bottle decay and thumb sucking. Baby bottle decay occurs when children nap or go to sleep with a bottle or sippy cup of milk or juice. The teeth are coated in sugar, which bacteria break down to cause plaque buildup and cavities. In some cases, this can be severe. We urge parents not to lay kids down with a bottle of milk or juice.
Thumb sucking can cause teeth to erupt out of place, leading to misalignment that may require orthodontic treatment down the road.
DOES YOUR CHILD A CHECKUP?
At Vi Mai-Truong, DDS, we can monitor your little one’s smile with regular visits. For our patients who don’t speak English, our office is fluent in both Spanish and Vietnamese. To schedule an appointment, call our Garland, TX office today at (972) 530-0552.
