To keep your child’s oral health intact, prioritize regular visits to the dentist. A children’s dentist understands how to handle young patients and provide them personalized dental care. Here are four reasons your child or teen should visit a pediatric dentist:
1. Comprehensive Dental Cleanings
Brushing and flossing at home doesn’t always completely remove plaque and tartar. This is especially true if your child’s teeth are crooked or have hard-to-reach areas when brushing. Unreachable areas can trap food particles, allowing plaque and tartar to accumulate. Failure to address this issue leaves your child prone to tooth decay or gum disease. That’s why taking your child to the dentist for comprehensive dental cleaning matters.
The cleaning process involves a complete oral check-up to identify and address dental issues early. The pediatric dentist will use specialized tools to remove accumulated plaque or tartar from your child’s teeth. The dentist cleans the nooks and crannies of the teeth to prevent infections. Dental cleaning may also involve teeth polishing to remove surface stains on the child’s enamel.
2. Tooth Extraction
Some dental issues, like severe tooth decay and impacted wisdom teeth, make saving your child’s teeth difficult. This is where a children’s dentist offering tooth extraction services helps. Tooth extraction involves the removal of the affected teeth from its socket. A pediatric dentist gently extracts your child’s teeth without damaging the surrounding tissues or nerves.
Professional tooth extractions allow adult teeth under the gums to erupt normally. If your teen needs permanent tooth extraction, that means they won’t grow a new tooth to replace it. Your pediatric dentist may recommend a dental implant to replace the missing tooth.
3. Tooth Repair
If your child has a chipped tooth, it requires dental attention. Leaving that tooth unaddressed can increase the risk of infections and tooth loss. A pediatric dentist will examine and repair the affected tooth using dental bonding or fillings. Dental bonding involves using adhesive to bond a resin to the tooth. The resin material is molded and hardened to look like a natural part of the entire tooth.
Dental filling involves adding a tooth-colored or metal filling to the affected tooth. This filling material covers the broken part, shielding the tooth against further damage. Dentists will also use dental fillings to prevent cavities from developing. They place the filling on the cavities (holes) in your child’s teeth to prevent tooth decay.
4. Dental Emergencies
A dental emergency is a sudden oral health issue that requires immediate attention. These issues range from severe toothache to bleeding gums or a knocked-out tooth. Parents should understand how to manage these kinds of emergencies for their children. This includes taking your child to the dentist for dental emergency services.
Before taking your child to a dental clinic, you may use home remedies to alleviate pain. Such remedies include applying a cold compress to the outside of their cheek and encouraging them to rinse with salt water. You can also contact a dentist for advice on managing a dental emergency at home. At the dental clinic, the dentist will examine the problem to determine the right course of action.
Schedule an Appointment with Your Children’s Dentist
Maintaining children’s oral health should be a priority for parents. Besides encouraging good hygiene practices at home, your child or teen requires regular visits to a pediatric dentist. The dentist will examine your child’s mouth to identify oral issues early. They’ll also use their findings to determine the right treatment to enhance your child’s oral health. Contact a children’s dentist today to book a dental visit for your child.
