Why Your Child Should See the Dentist Every Six Months
Good oral hygiene is the foundation of your child’s oral health. That means they should brush their teeth at least twice a day, floss daily, and have a routine teeth cleaning appointment every six months with our Hudsonville pediatric dentist.
But if your child is already brushing and flossing, why do they need their teeth professionally cleaned? Do they really need to see our dentist twice a year? The answer is yes — for the most part.
Here are a couple of reasons why your child should see our pediatric dentist every six months.
Seeing Our Pediatric Dentist Allows Your Child to:
1. Get a Stronger, More Thorough Teeth Cleaning
Brushing and flossing at home is critical in preventing tooth decay and gum disease. , the slick film you feel on your teeth in the morning, forms naturally every day, and brushing and flossing is the only way to get rid of it. If your child doesn’t brush and floss, then bacteria will consume the plaque and produce acids that will wear down their enamel over time.
Plaque that builds up over time eventually turns into , a harder substance that can’t be removed with at-home oral hygiene habits. Even if your child is a devoted brusher and flosser, there may be parts of their teeth that are difficult to reach where plaque can turn into tartar. Tartar is the next step on the way to gum disease and cavities.
During a professional cleaning in our Hudsonville pediatric dental office, our dentist has the tools, products, and techniques necessary to remove all the plaque and tartar from your child’s teeth. We’ll clean their teeth thoroughly to keep their smile healthy.
2. Prevent or Have Serious Oral Health Problems Caught Early
When we schedule a teeth cleaning with a patient, our dentist won’t just clean their teeth and send them on their way. We’ll take this opportunity to also check on our patient’s oral health with an oral examination.
Oral exams are a great, non-invasive way to catch serious oral health problems before they get out of hand. For example, seeing the dentist every six months means having a better chance of catching minor cavities before they get larger and can no longer be solved with a simple tooth filling.
We’ll also be able to keep an eye on developing issues, such as watching your child’s adult teeth start to come in to see if they’re coming in correctly. Preventive dentistry will save you both time and money in the long run.
3. Start a Healthy Habit
Let’s be honest, not every adult goes to the dentist as often as they should. Factors of a busy life aside, the habit of receiving a dental checkup typically starts in childhood. If you learn the importance of having your teeth professionally cleaned early on, it’s more likely to stick with you as you grow older.
Instill in your child the idea that seeing the dentist is key not just for the health of their mouth, but their body as a whole. It is all connected, after all. For example, ignored tooth decay can progress into gum disease which has been shown to have some effect on the heart if not managed.
The more your child goes to the dentist, the more comfortable they’ll feel. That’s because you’ll have normalized the experience and shown them that it’s safe.
The Exception to the Rule
You probably noticed that we said at the beginning of this article that your child needs to see a dentist every six months — for the most part. So, who is the exception to the rule?
Ultimately, it comes down to what our pediatric dentist recommends for your child’s specific case. We may even suggest your child see us more frequently than every six months if they have an ongoing oral health concern.
Schedule Your Child’s Next Teeth Cleaning
In general, dentists, ours included, recommend that children get their teeth cleaned every six months by a dental professional. Our pediatric dentist in Hudsonville, MI, can help you protect your child’s smile and maintain their oral health. To schedule your child’s next appointment, call Hudsonville Dental Kids today at (616) 209-4039, or contact us online.
This blog has been updated.
