Primary teeth, or baby teeth, form the basis for oral health growth in a child. The baby teeth help children as they learn to talk, eat, and develop oral hygiene habits. Proper nutrition and hygiene help your children develop strong bones and teeth. As a child ages, these teeth make way for permanent teeth. Improper care at an early age can actually cause problems with permanent, or adult, teeth.
Beginning a good oral hygiene routine at an early age ensures your children’s permanent teeth will come in healthy and last a lifetime.
Oral hygiene routines evolve as children age. Each milestone is preparing your child’s mouth for their next tooth or oral health stage. Beginning at birth, oral routines should consist of gently wiping the gums with a soft cloth twice a day. As their teeth begin to emerge, you can replace the cloth with a soft toothbrush. Gentle, circular motions on the teeth and gums remove plaque and bacteria.
Once your child has two teeth touching one another, our Crestwood Dental Group dentist recommends introducing flossing into your routine. The common misconception is that baby teeth will fall out, thus, they don’t need the care that adult teeth need. However, by establishing a routine now, you can trust that your child will learn the importance of healthy habits. Additionally, you won’t put you child at risk for health complications that are associated with an abscess or tooth decay.
Improper oral health routines with young children can cause issues in the future as their permanent teeth emerge. At Crestwood Dental Group, we recommend beginning dental exams when your child turns one or when their first tooth emerges. Early introductions to our dental family teach children that we provide a fun environment and help them understand the importance of continued health habits.
Healthy, strong teeth build self-esteem and confidence and help children establish life skills like talking and chewing. If a good oral hygiene routine is not followed, your child could be susceptible to:
Children’s teeth are at their best when preventive dentistry measures like sealants and fluoride treatments are used along with regular appointments with ourCrestwood Dental Group dentist and hygienist. At Crestwood Dental Group, we offer the best solutions for your child’s oral health and work to create a foundation that will set them up for great oral health.
It is common for parents to ask advice on explaining the first dental appointment to their child. We recommend treating it no different than a visit to a store or getting a haircut. Regardless of any experience you’ve had with a dentist, tell your children that our Crestwood Dental Group dentist is just going to count and clean their teeth.
We’ve worked diligently to create a fun, welcoming environment for patients of all ages and think a child’s first visit to the dentist should be memorable and exciting. Avoid over-explaining the dentist and let your children find out for themselves how easy a visit to our Crestwood Dental Group office is.
You don’t have to go far to get the best dental care in the Crestwood area. Call us at (502) 241-9407 if you have oral health concerns or questions regarding your child, or if you wish to schedule an appointment. Take an office tour or visit with our staff so you can determine if our family of oral health professionals is right for you and your family.