Children Dental Checkup
Children Dental Health
Why a children dental checkup? It’s recommended that children visit the dentist at least twice a year, at six-month intervals, for optimal oral health. With some schools making it a requirement for physical and dental exams for the September re(admission), it’s best that parents schedule one of their child’s regular dental visits towards the end of the summer vacation, along with other school-opening tasks.
Benefits of a back-to-school dental checkup
- Regular dental checkups are essential in fighting cavities, which is the leading chronic disease affecting school-age children. Studies show that dental diseases cause children to miss an estimated 51 million school hours per year. Untreated dental problems can also affect the overall health of the children, leading to more absenteeism and subsequently, poor academic performance.
- Indeed, health screenings and dental exams are important. But scheduling your children’s dental checkup at the start of the school year provides a unique opportunity for the dentist to not only clean the teeth and help fix early dental problems but also remind and educate parents of how to best assist their children in achieving proper hygiene.
- During the dental checkup, the dentist will perform professional cleaning to remove plaque and tartar from the teeth, and an oral exam to identify potential dental and oral problems and fix them in their early stages. X-rays may be necessary to examine how the teeth roots are developing under the gum line, or to access the extent of damage for fractured teeth.
The dentist will also educate parents about the risks of tooth decay and other common dental problems that affect children and recommend ways to prevent them, such as:
- Using fluoride treatments
- Placing sealants
- Proper brushing and flossing techniques
- Proper diet – including limited intake of sugary snacks and drinks
- Mouthguards for sports, etc.
Preventive Care for your Kids
Well, timed dental visits will give your children a great start to the school year.
By not waiting until your child exhibits a dental problem before seeing the dentist, you can save him/her from a severe toothache associated with caries, premature tooth loss caused by gum disease or trauma (due to activities), malocclusion or poor tooth bite to improper growth of permanent teeth, and many other dental problems that cause anxiety, an imperfect smile, and absenteeism and poor academic performance.
Please contact our practice to book your back-to-school dental appointment today.