As a parent, you carry the heavy responsibility of teaching your child about good habits. Not only do you help your family with healthy eating, exercise, and other lifestyle practices, but you also need to stay consistent with regular dental checkups and doctor appointments.
It can be a challenge to stay current with all of the wellness checkups and exams. But, it is essential that you mark your calendar and stay consistent with the schedule. Protecting your child’s health right now will set the tone to create optimal health in the later years of life.
When to Schedule a Dental Exam
When is it time to schedule a dental exam for your child? As soon as the teeth start popping through the gums, a dental team can assist to protect the child’s health.
One of the biggest myths about pediatric dental care is that the baby teeth aren’t as important as the permanent teeth that grow in later in life. So, parents think that it’s ok to delay the dental appointments when only baby teeth are present.
The truth is that you need to protect these baby teeth to avoid damage to the permanent teeth below. Plus, regular dental visits are important to create the good habits that will carry into adulthood.
Teach Good Oral Habits at Home
Visiting the dentist twice a year isn’t enough to care for the quality of the teeth. At the same time, parents also need to be diligent in teaching their children about good oral health habits at home. These daily routines create the foundation that is needed to prevent common dental issues.
Start by using a soft-bristled toothbrush with a tiny amount of children’s toothpaste. Usually, the recommendation is to wait until two years of age to use fluoride toothpaste, because the child needs to be old enough to understand that they shouldn’t swallow the paste.
Additionally, other habits can impact the child’s dental health. For example, you should never put the baby to bed with a bottle. This practice can lead to tooth decay and oral health problems.
Conversations About Dental Concerns
Parents need to be careful about the way the conversations are managed when it is time to visit the dentist. If you talk about the visit using positive language, then the child will create a positive attitude about dental appointments.
At the same time, you also need to maintain regular conversations with your dental team about potential issues that need to be addressed. Common dental health problems for children include tooth decay, tooth injuries, thumb sucking, teeth grinding, teething tips, healthy snacks, and more.
At myDental, we provide experienced dental care for all ages. If you are looking for one location to schedule all of the dental appointments that are needed for your family, then we are here to help. Contact us any time to schedule an exam so that we can discuss your child’s oral health. We offer our convenient locations in the Austin, TX area.