Children’s Dentistry Provides Preventive Care

Children’s dentistry allows our team to protect kids from cavities with a preventive approach. We can help safeguard little smiles, so they enjoy comfortable and healthy smiles for years to come! In today’s blog, your team at Gentle Smiles Family Dentistry talks about children’s dentistry for kids in Dallas, TX.

Checkups and Cleanings for Little Ones

Your child needs a routine checkup and cleaning just like you do! Every six months we want to see your child, and this starts at around age two. During the exam portion, we will look at the teeth with advanced digital technology, so we can assess the health of their smiler and identify possible problems in their early stages. We will look for issues like tooth decay, and also make sure baby teeth erupt and fall out on time to protect overall alignment. These visits can help prevent dental anxiety and allow kids to better understand their smiles and how to care for them!

In the same visit, we will also clean their teeth to help remove harmful plaque and tartar from the surfaces, which lowers the risk of cavities, gingivitis, bad breath, and teeth stains.

Fluoride and Dental Sealants

Children’s dentistry also includes treatments that prevent tooth decay. For example, as part of your child’s checkup and cleaning visit, we will complete the visit by applying fluoride to the teeth in a varnish form. This helps strengthen the outer enamel to make cavities less likely in the months to come. We also recommend kids use a small amount of fluoride toothpaste for the same reason.

Since kids have trouble reaching the rear teeth when they brush and floss, we could apply a dental sealant to them. The sealant coats the rear teeth that kids cannot reach easily when they brush and floss. This means food and drink particles cannot be trapped there, so the risk of cavities forming between these teeth is limited. Applying sealants takes seconds and once they cure, they could stay in place for years to come!

Better Care at Home

Children’s dentistry also includes taking time to talk to your little ones about their smiles and how to care for them at home in between these routine visits to our office. They need to start their day by brushing for two minutes with a soft-bristled toothbrush and a fluoride toothpaste. They need to do the same in the evening before bed. We also urge kids of all ages to floss before they brush that second time too. These actions, combined with cutting back on sugar, can help prevent issues like tooth decay and gingivitis in little smiles.

Schedule Children’s Dentistry At Gentle Smiles

Our team wants to help protect little smiles with children’s dentistry. To find out more about our office or to schedule a visit, call Gentle Smiles Family Dentistry at 972-329-7645 today.