A kid’s smile is the source of elation for parents and can brighten up anyone’s mood within seconds. It is imperative to keep this precious smile intact. As a parent, you must have countless questions regarding your childʼs oral health. Here are the answers to the major concerns that you may have.
Why should you choose a pediatric dentist over a general dentist?
It would be best if you preferred going to a pediatric dentist, rather than a general dentist because there is a significant difference in the teeth of kids and adults. A pediatric dentist will be able to handle the teeth of your kid with much more proficiency. Apart from this, a pediatric dentist will also help in alleviating your child’s fear of the dentist with a child-friendly setup and playful surroundings to make the child comfortable. Pediatric dentistry is a specialisation, and the dentists are trained for 2-3 years to deal with children specifically. The instruments used by a pediatric dentist are as per the shape and size of the child’s mouth and teeth. Adult instruments won’t serve the purpose as efficiently as the small instruments can. This is another reason why you should choose a pediatric dentist over a general dentist for your kid.
Here are the 10 reasons why you should visit a dentist to protect your child’s smile.
1. Primary teeth care
Your child should make the first visit to the dentist near his first birthday. This is the time your childʼs primary or milk teeth start erupting and makes him/her irritable. A dentist will assess the oral cavity of your child and diagnose if there is an anomaly in the childʼs dental setup that may pose a difficulty in the eruption of teeth. The dentist may also prescribe your child calcium supplements to aid them to make the teeth stronger.
2. Brushing advice
It is very important to clean your little one’s teeth, and the dentist will demonstrate the right method to brush and clean the teeth. You must clean the gums and maintain good hygiene of your kid’s oral cavity even before the teeth erupt. A child must be taught the importance of brushing teeth twice a day and the correct method to do so. A child’s toothbrush must be the one with soft bristles. Attractive designs will motivate them to engage in brushing routinely. The pediatric dentist will provide a comprehensive guide on the brushing habits for your kids.
3. Friendly experience
A lot of people are apprehensive about visiting a dentist and often keep ignoring routine oral checkups. Due to this negligence, the disease may continue to grow and end up with severe complications. If children start visiting the dentist at a young age, their fear of the dentist will definitely be reduced and routine oral checkups will help in keeping track of their oral hygiene and also in the detection of any potential dental troubles.
4. Prevention of crooked teeth
Your child may develop the habit of thumb sucking, pacifier use or excessive bottle feeding. These can gradually lead to misalignment of teeth and may cause an overbite or underbite. Such conditions need to be tackled, and a pediatric dentist will guide you about the usage of bottles for feeding in a plausible way. Malocclusion can be very embarrassing and troublesome when your child grows up and thus preventing it by taking appropriate steps at a younger age is important.
5. Advice on breastfeeding
This may sound very bizarre to hear, a dentist giving breastfeeding advice. But actually, dentists can play a significant role in proper breastfeeding from the perspective of a child’s mouth. The tongue is one of the major structures of the oral cavity, and breastfeeding is the first challenge the child has to face. The dentist can instruct the proper direction of breastfeeding. Also, a child having tongue anomalies, such as a tongue-tie (ankyloglossia) can be treated efficiently by a dentist.
6. Early detection and treatment of dental caries
Even primary teeth can develop dental caries and cavities if the child doesn’t properly clean the teeth. A child’s teeth are more delicate as compared to adults, and the risk of infection spreading from dental caries to adjacent tissues is on the higher side. A pediatric dentist is well versed with handling dental caries in primary teeth and can help your child in getting rid of it. Primary teeth are ultimately going to fall off and be replaced by permanent teeth, but that doesn’t mean you can avoid dental caries or any other problem developing in the primary teeth.
7. Prevention of gum diseases
If your child frequently complains about pain in gums or pain while eating anything, it may be indicative of underlying diseases such as gingivitis or any other infection. In such a condition, the gums may be red and inflamed. A dentist can help in tackling such an extremely uncomfortable situation for the kid.
8. Healthy eating advice
Children are often attracted to unhealthy food items and junk food. Candies, ice-creams and chocolates are among their most favourite snacks. Simple brushing may not be sufficient to check the development of decay and dental caries. A pediatric dentist will guide you and encourage the child to adopt healthy oral hygiene and food habits. As it is said, prevention is better than cure, so, preventing disease development is the utmost priority of pediatric dentists.
9. Assessment of sleep and sleep anomalies
If your child is having difficulty in sleeping or suddenly wakes up from sleep, gasping for air, he may be suffering from obstructive sleep apnea. This happens when the tongue falls backwards while sleeping and blocks the airway. It can prove to be fatal if adequate care is not taken at the right time. The child may become irritable and may have behavioural changes because of this. Craniofacial anomalies are among the causes of obstructive sleep apnea. A dentist can help in preventing sleep apnea by using oral appliances.
10. Preparation for permanent teeth
Permanent teeth will ultimately replace primary or milk teeth. So, it is important to prepare the child for their permanent dentition. Sometimes, when the primary tooth becomes loose, a dentist can help in extracting the tooth by taking aseptic precautions and can also maintain haemostasis. Therefore, instead of trying to pull out the tooth at home, you should visit a dentist as it will help in preparing for the adult tooth.
Visit Conway House Dental Practice in High Wycombe, a dental practice that will be perfect for your kids. We love to make friends with your kids and encourage them to inculcate good oral habits. We also curb any problem that may hinder your child’s smile. Your kid’s happiness is our prime motive!
So, book an appointment for your kid today!
