Taking your children to the family dentist early (and on a schedule) can help establish a positive association with dental care, particularly if you take them to a pediatric dentist. As our understanding of the development of dental problems has evolved, so has the way we treat children’s teeth and gums.
Up to 40 million Americans avoid the dentist because of fear. It’s critical for children to establish good dental hygiene early, which is why it’s so important to take children to see a pediatric dentist.
Early Dental Care
According to the American Dental Association, dental disease causes children to miss more than 50 million hours of school each year. Bringing your children in for regular checkups with the family dentist is imperative if you want to find and treat tooth decay before it gets worse. Even though a child’s first set of teeth aren’t permanent, allowing them to become decayed can cause serious problems in the future.
Child-Specific Services
Pediatric dentists use tools and equipment designed for children’s mouths. In addition, they are specifically trained to address children’s dental issues and offer specialized services for pediatric patients. Aside from procedures such as fillings and root canals, pediatric dentists perform a number of preventative treatments to help prevent decay in children’s teeth.
Enjoyable Dental Visits
Another benefit of taking your child to a family dentist that specializes in pediatric dentistry is that your child is more likely to have a pleasant experience. Dentists who regularly work with children know how to put them at ease and take the fear and mystery out of a dental exam. This positive experience can set the stage for a lifetime of healthy habits, since your kids won’t be carrying a fear of the dentist into adulthood.
Orthodontic Intervention
A pediatric dentist can also monitor a child’s mouth to detect potential orthodontic issues, which often manifest at a young age. Early intervention of orthodontic issues could help your child to avoid more extensive orthodontic work when they’re older.
Emergency Services
If your child loses a tooth unnaturally, a pediatric dentist is best equipped to fix the problem. If sedation is needed, a pediatric dentist can help to determine the safest way to do this for your child.
Regular visits with the right pediatric dentist can lay the foundation for a lifetime of healthy teeth and gums. Contact the best family dentist in Dallas, TX, to start your children on the path to good dental hygiene.