When you schedule your checkup, you should consider booking an appointment for your entire family. Your children need to see the dentist, too. While their visits may not look exactly the same as yours, their appointments are vitally important. They provide an opportunity for a professional to give advice on better hygiene, monitor for cavities, and offer extra treatment plans when needed. Your Sunny Smiles Dentistry in El Paso, TX, offers care for your entire family.
Their First Visit Should Be By Their First Birthday
While this may seem early, you can bring your little one in for the first checkup by the time they grow in their first tooth. Usually, this is around the age of six months to one year. This visit is used to help your child feel comfortable with the dentist and staff. The dentist will examine their oral cavity and the teeth that have grown in to make sure everything is healthy. If you have any questions or concerns, this gives you a good opportunity to bring these up. After this, you can begin bringing them in twice a year.
Preventive Measures Keep Them Healthy
Creating the routine habit of dental visits and at-home care can help your child understand the importance of dental health at an early age. At their biannual appointments, they will have their teeth cleaned and may have X-rays done. This helps the dentist monitor the growth of their teeth and treat problems early if they arise. One of the most common problems that young patients face is cavities. Their dentist can detect decay early and offer tips for better hygiene if necessary. If alignment issues or bite problems are found, we can refer you to an orthodontist to begin phase one treatments. Parents should also be helping their children with oral hygiene at home. Make sure to monitor your kids as they brush and floss on their own to ensure they are doing this properly.
When Restorations Are Necessary
If your little one does develop a cavity, there are ways to treat it. Fillings can be used to remove the damaged part of a tooth and stop the progression of decay. Even though your child will eventually lose this first set of dentition, it is important to maintain good oral health to promote proper growth. Ignoring a cavity in their baby tooth could lead to premature tooth loss, which may result in more extensive orthodontic treatment in the future. Gingivitis is also a major concern for dental health. To prevent this, make sure that you are flossing your child’s teeth as well. If symptoms of gingivitis are noticed, their dentist can help treat this with a deep cleaning.
Schedule Their Appointment Today
Bring your child in for a cleaning and exam today. To schedule an appointment with Sunny Smiles in El Paso, TX, call us at 915.759.7000.