Along with adults, kids need routine care too in order to avoid issues like tooth decay, infection, or even premature tooth loss, which impacts smile alignment. In today’s blog, your Houston, TX, dentist will look at the treatments we offer, the homecare you should provide, to help your children enjoy healthy smiles.
Daily Homecare Habits
Children need to care for their smiles from home just like you, as plaque and tartar pose the same risks for kids as they do for adults. For younger children, you can brush and floss for them or assist them. For older kids, monitor them or have them clean their teeth alongside you to provide a good example. Children need to brush in the morning and again at night, using a rice-sized bit of fluoride toothpaste. Flossing before bed is also crucial, as this reaches and removes what a toothbrush alone cannot.
Checkups and Cleanings
Starting at age three, kids should see the dentist every six months for a checkup and cleaning. An exam is a chance to identify the presence of issues like tooth decay and infection, as well as developing misalignment or issues with tooth eruption. We also help instill good oral health habits and routine visits could prevent dental anxiety later in life. The cleaning portion allows our team removes all plaque and tartar, which means lowering the risk of cavities, infection, and gingivitis in smiles of all ages.
Care to Prevent Cavities
We also have unique preventive treatments to safeguard smiles against the onset of cavities. For example, during each checkup visit we can apply a special fluoride varnish to the smile. The varnish helps strengthen the outer enamel to prevent the onset of tooth decay. Fluoride is also found in tap water too, so encourage your little ones to drink more water! We also have dental sealants. Placement involves drying the teeth and applying a special acrylic coating to the rear ones. The sealant then prevents food from being stuck between the teeth kids have the most difficulty reaching when brushing and flossing. The sealants help prevent cavities, and last up to ten years in some cases.
If you have any questions about keeping little smiles strong and healthy, then please feel free to contact our team. We would also love to schedule your family’s next checkup and cleaning visit, so you continue to enjoy optimal oral health in 2021.
MMC DENTAL OFFERS CHILDREN’S DENTISTRY
MMC Dental wants to help start your child on the path to a lifetime of healthy and whole smiles. To learn more about the care we offer for kids of all ages, start by scheduling your next appointment at MMC Dental in Houston, TX by calling 713-926-8896.