Children’s Dental Visits and Oral Hygiene: What you Need to Know
Did you know that tooth decay is the second-most common infectious disease among children in the United States? Since the oral bacteria responsible for dental caries is orally transmitted, cavities are classified as an infectious disease by the Centers for Disease Control and the American Dental Association.
In addition to dental caries, children can develop a number of oral health conditions including abscessed teeth, periodontal (gum) disease, and fungal infections. This is why receiving professional oral healthcare, maintaining healthy diets, and conducting daily oral hygiene are so important.
Since issues like cavities and gum disease are preventable, you can safeguard your child’s oral health by visiting a family or pediatric dentist for routine checkups and dental cleanings along with practicing thorough oral hygiene at home.
Our Lafayette, LA dentist offers child-friendly oral healthcare from our welcoming and nurturing practice.
Your Child’s First Dental Checkup
Children’s first dental checkups should occur near their first birthdays or no later than six months after the eruption of their first teeth. This initial appointment with a family dentist is important for introducing your child to our team. Your child’s first dental appointment will involve discussing your family’s health history, your child’s developmental progress, and your household’s lifestyle habits with a family dentist and his or her staff.
Then, a non-invasive physical examination is performed to look for signs of developmental or congenital abnormalities. This part of the dental visit is important for evaluating the current state of oral health by examining soft oral tissue and the emergence of baby teeth.
Cleaning Your Child’s Teeth
Until children have the dexterity to brush and floss their own teeth, parents and caregivers will need to perform daily oral hygiene tasks for them.
Before teeth erupt, parents and caregivers need to wipe their children’s mouths with a clean, damp washcloth. Even if teeth haven’t erupted yet, it’s still important to use a clean cloth to clean the surfaces of the gums.
Once the first tooth erupts, parents can begin using a soft-bristled toothbrush to clean emerging teeth. Brushing teeth and wiping the gums needs to be performed twice a day, every day. Call Chauvin Dental today!
