Maintaining Your Child’s Dental Healthcare
As a parent, it can be hard to determine when and what to do about your child’s dental healthcare. When should you first schedule an appointment for your child? Should you be flossing for your toddler? How will you know if your child needs orthodontic treatment? Here at Gaston Dental Associates, we have the tips and guidelines to help you answer all of these questions and more.
When Should You Start Brushing Your Child’s Teeth?
A good dental healthcare routine should be established before the first baby tooth even grows in! Just because you cannot see a tooth on the surface, does not mean it isn’t there. They actually begin to grow during the second trimester of your pregnancy so by the time your baby is born he or she already has 20 primary teeth. Here are some tips for taking care of young, new teeth:
- Use a clean, damp washcloth to gently rub away harmful bacteria build up on your baby’s gums each night
- Once teeth start to erupt to the surface, use an infant toothbrush with a rice-sized amount of fluoride toothpaste – once these teeth touch, you can start flossing gently in between them
- Around age 2 or 3 your child should learn to spit while you are brushing their teeth – teaching them not to swallow toothpaste once they begin to brush themselves
- Continue supervising your child’s dental health care routine until they turn 8 years old (when they are less likely to swallow instead of spitting)
When Is It Time To Visit Our Dentists?
According to the American Dental Association, children should be seen by a dentist by their 1st birthday. Visiting this early on in your child’s development can help uncover problems and prevent them from becoming worse later on. It will also help your child become used to regular dental visits so they are not afraid to go once they are older and may need more in depth treatments or procedures. Pediatrics will also diagnose signs of children at high risk for cavities and apply topical fluoride to help prevent cavities and many other common oral diseases. For older children our dentists will add sealant to each molar that acts as an extra protective coating as well.
Maintaining Your Child’s Dental Healthcare
Depending on each individual path your child may be on for jaw and tooth development, our experts here at Gaston Dental Associates will recommend regular check-ups every 3 – 6 months to monitor growth and ensure healthy mouths. Make sure you are regularly helping your child brush and floss their teeth and try to keep them away from sugary foods. With these tactics and dental appointments, your child’s dental healthcare will be on a great path! Give us a call today at 704-396-6166 to schedule an appointment.