Each year, National Children’s Dental Health Month is celebrated in February. While February is nearly over now, the importance of your child’s dental health is unending. Just like checkups at a family doctor’s office, checkups with your family dentist help to ensure your child’s healthy growth and are important in the grand scheme of their development. In today’s blog, your Mansfield, TX, family dentists, Dr. Jones and Dr. Harris, will explain some ways to keep your child’s smile healthy at home, and how we can help at each checkup.
Healthy Home Habits
It is important to always remember that children learn by the example of adults. So, if you are not practicing good oral hygiene habits at home, they won’t, either. Help your child follow in your healthy footsteps by practicing habits such as:
- Brushing your teeth twice daily
- Being sure to brush the backs of your teeth
- Timing yourself for two minutes each time you brush
- Brushing your tongue
- Storing your toothbrush properly so that the bristles can fully dry
- Being sure to floss thoroughly every day
Following this advice will make your smile healthier while helping to set your child up for dental success through good habits.
Using Fluoridated Products
Fluoride is a naturally occurring mineral that is essential to the prevention of cavities, as it strengthens enamel and can reverse the beginnings of tooth decay by bonding to the affected teeth. So, it is important that you always choose a toothpaste for your child that contains fluoride to ensure that they are as protected as possible against cavities and tooth decay.
Ease Their Anxiety
At Mansfield Dental Associates, we want your child to be comfortable in our office. Of course, we understand that new things can be scary, especially when they include weird chairs and people in gloves with weird tools. For this reason, we encourage you to talk to your child about the dentist before their appointment. Reading books and watching videos about the dentist can also help to ease their nerves, but they learn best from watching you. So, one of the best things you can do for your child’s dental health is to bring them with you to your dentist appointments every six months to normalize the experience and help them to be brave when it is their turn.
How Checkups Help
At your child’s checkup, our dedicated staff will thoroughly search your child’s mouth for any signs of decay and anything else we might need to fix. If there are any issues, we will discuss options for treatment with you. If there is a cavity, we may suggest a dental filling. If there is a higher risk for cavities, we may suggest dental sealants to strengthen the teeth in question. We will also thoroughly clean your child’s smile, eradicating the nasty plaque and tartar that, if left alone, could lead to decay. Continuing to take trips to the dentist every six months lets us track your child’s development and keep an eye on any trouble spots, allowing us to help you keep your child healthy.
Schedule Your Child’s Visit Today
Your child’s dental health is incredibly important, so if you or your child are due for a checkup, schedule a visit by calling Mansfield Dental Associates in Mansfield, TX, at 817-473-6227.
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