The American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry recommends that all children attend routine pediatric dental exams twice each year as soon as their first teeth arrive. Nevertheless, many parents don’t realize the importance of these visits and they become complacent about their child’s oral health.
Here are just some of the reasons why routine pediatric dental exams are so important.
Identify Any Dental Developmental Issues Early
Regular pediatric dental exams will give your dentist an opportunity to create a comprehensive and accurate dental history record, which will include important information about how your child’s teeth are forming and how their mouth is growing. This is extremely valuable since children’s teeth all erupt at different times, and in some instances, their arrival can lead to issues later on if they are not monitored properly. Early identification and intervention can help to ensure that any problems that could affect your child’s teeth alignment, bone structure formation, or jaw development are dealt with promptly.
Pediatric Dental Exams Enable Decay and Gum Disease to be Detected Promptly
In an ideal world, your child won’t ever have to experience issues like decay and gum disease. However, in order to avoid these, your child will need to brush their teeth at least twice each day and learn to floss daily as soon as possible. Even then, there is still a chance that small cavities or gum disease could develop. Spotting problems like these early on can prevent them from getting worse and causing unpleasant symptoms like toothache and requiring extensive treatment.
Your Pediatric Dentist Can Help Educate Your Child on the Importance of Good Dental Habits
As a parent, it is your responsibility to teach your children the importance of developing good dental habits. However, we all know that children are often resistant to listening to their parents. Fortunately, your pediatric dentist is a professional that will be happy to educate your child about how dental problems develop, why they should make time to take care of their teeth, and what they need to do to look after them properly.
You, Will, be Supporting Your Child’s Overall Health and Wellbeing
Any parent wants their child to live a life that is as long and healthy as it can be. Poor oral health has been linked to the development of a range of general conditions including high blood pressure, heart disease, stroke, and even diabetes. By ensuring that your child has the best possible oral health through proper dental care at home and regular visits to your dentist, you could reduce the likelihood of them experiencing these chronic health problems in the future.
Pediatric Dentists Provide a Comprehensive Range of Care
Many parents are surprised to learn just how comprehensive pediatric dental care really is. Most pediatric dentists are able to offer services that include:
- Oral health check-ups
- Risk assessments for oral health and dental problems including caries, gum disease, and more
- Preventative dental care includes cleaning and fluoride treatments
- Education on the importance of diet and nutrition for oral health
- Education on brushing and flossing techniques
- Support with habits that could impact teeth and oral health, such as prolonged pacifier use, thumb-sucking, and more
- The early orthodontic assessment could identify the need for the correction of misalignment or bite problems
- Identification of problems with the eruption of adult teeth, for example, retained baby teeth that may need to be removed surgically
- Treatment/repair of dental problems, including fillings and crowns if necessary
- Care for dental injuries, for example, a knocked-out tooth which is one of the most common dental injuries amongst children
If you have any questions about aspects of routine pediatric dental exams, or to schedule an appointment for your child, don’t hesitate to contact our Clearwater Florida dentists today at (727) 245-0027.