When getting your children ready for a new school year, you have a lot on your plate. But amidst school supply and clothes shopping, don’t forget about their teeth! In today’s blog, your Mansfield, TX, dentist talks about how we help get little smiles ready for school with a dental checkup and cleaning.
Your Child’s Checkup and Cleaning
We recommend parents bring their children in for a checkup and cleaning every six months, so we can monitor their smiles and catch possible oral health problems in the early stages, preventing major discomfort or the risk of early tooth loss. We will conduct a detailed dental exam with digital x-rays and intraoral cameras, and create a personalized treatment plan should we discover issues like tooth decay. We also clean the teeth by removing all plaque and tartar buildup with an ultrasonic scaling device and a manual pick, which lowers the risk of tooth decay and gingivitis, as well as bad breath and teeth stains.
Preventive Treatments to Fight Cavities
Our team could also offer preventive treatments to help lower the risk of tooth decay. For example, we can apply fluoride directly to your child’s teeth in a varnish form following the checkup and cleaning portion of the visit. Fluoride has been shown to strengthen outer enamel and make cavities less likely, and applying it only takes a few seconds.
We could also apply dental sealants to the rear molars in seconds too. This thin acrylic layer coats the teeth to prevent food and drink particles from being trapped in areas kids have trouble reaching when they brush and floss, which lowers the risk of cavities for years at a time. With both options, kids just need to avoid food and drink for about a half hour so the materials cure fully.
Practicing Better Oral Hygiene
We also want to make sure your kids understand how to properly care for their smiles each day during the school year. Kids should start and end their day by brushing their teeth for two minutes with a fluoride toothpaste, and they should floss every evening before bed too. We also suggest choosing snacks and beverages low in sugar to lower the risk of cavities and gingivitis. If you have any questions about how we protect little smiles with a routine checkup and cleaning, or to schedule one before school starts, reach out to our team today.
Our Team Offers Family Dentistry
Our team wants to provide dental care to help your children start their classes with healthier smiles, so be sure to see us soon for an exam and cleaning. To learn more about our approach to family dental care, or schedule your appointment, call our Mansfield, TX, dental team today at 817-473-6227.
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