Infants and toddlers frequently have their dental health ignored for one simple reason: sincetheir baby teeth are just temporary, why spend time (and money) maintaining them? However, early dental care is crucial to maintain a child’s overall health and proper oral development. Tooth decay poses the biggest threat to young children’s oral health and can be prevented through early Markham dental care.
Paying attention to your kids’ teeth and oral health is important for their happiness and health. Early dental visits to a pediatric visit can help ensure that your kids’ teeth develop healthy and strong. Pediatric dentists are experts in treating infants. They have completed a recognized program for advanced training in pediatric dentistry.
Taking your child to the dentist every six months enables your dentist to spot and address minor issues early on, which benefits your child and ultimately saves you money in the long run. Read on to discover how you can help your kid maintain good oral health.
Areas to Help Bolster a Great Smile
- Home: For children, good oral health begins at home. The best way to protect your child’s oral health and ensure they know how to take care of their teeth is to instill excellent dental habits in them early. Teaching them the importance of consistently brushing their teeth and flossing at least twice a day is one of the first things you can do.
- Regular cleanings: Early on in your child’s life, you should establish a connection with a dental expert who has experience treating and providing children’s dentist services. Like going to the doctor or getting your child’s immunizations, regular trips to Markham dentistry for children should become a part of your twice-yearly routine.
When you go to the dentist, you’ll not only schedule time for routine cleanings, during which the hygienist will perform a thorough cleaning and the dentist will examine your child’s mouth, but you’ll also complete X-rays to ensure that their mouth and teeth are growing and developing by their age and as it should be.
Children are unique patients because their mouths change as they grow, they lose their baby teeth, and permanent ones erupt. They are also special patients because if problems with tooth alignment are discovered early enough, they can be resolved with little long-term harm.
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Catering to kids: Braces, dental surgery, or tooth extraction may be necessary to address problems during your child’s growth and development. Although it’s not always necessary to consult a pediatric dentist, these problems can traumatize kids. To ensure that your child has the least amount of stress and anxiety possible during their checkups, search for a children’s dentist that employs tried-and-true techniques for handling apprehensive and anxious kids, such as nitrous gas and anesthesia.
To ensure that your child feels at ease visiting the dentist, you should take the time to educate yourself on appropriate childhood dental practices and establish a relationship with a dental office. Don’t forget to prioritize this and maintain good dental hygiene throughout your child’s formative years.
Early Childhood Dental Cavities
Early dental caries, often known as early tooth decay, describes any tooth decay that appears in children between 6 months and 6 years old. The term “baby bottle” refers to the primary cause of tooth decay: sugary drinks that are frequently consumed through the baby bottle. Sugars can discolor and adhere to a toddler’s teeth for a long time, and as bacteria break down these sugars, they release acids that can attack and erode the teeth over time.
Infants who drink sugary beverages before bed or during naps and kids whose pacifiers are routinely covered with sugar, syrup, or formula are at a higher risk of developing cavities. Acid damage can result in dental caries, which, if ignored, can develop deeper and wider into the teeth, leading to cavities and infection.
As was already noted, many parents believe that since baby teeth are only temporary, there is no particular reason to worry when they experience decay or damage. But there are several reasons why early tooth decay needs to be appropriately addressed.
- Of course, children might experience excruciating pain and sensitivity from tooth cavities, particularly infected teeth, and gums.
- The child may have poor feeding habits and communication problems due to pain and discomfort.
- The adult tooth beneath a severe cavity or caries may be permanently harmed
- When infections are severe, the gum tissue can be attacked (developing periodontitis), which can permanently damage the jawbone.
- When a baby’s tooth is pulled, the gap left behind can lead to bone loss, inappropriate growth, and dental misalignment, resulting in crooked teeth.
Routine early children’s dentistry visits coupled with good oral hygiene can help prevent the formation of dental caries in your children. Get in touch with Greensborough Dental today to learn more about the importance of early dental care for children in Markham.