Did you know that a majority of kids will have a cavity between the ages of 5 and 9, according to the American Dental Association?
We’re hoping that got your attention. And if you are looking for a dentist for you and your kids, then we hope you will come to our office in Monroe, LA.
The staff at Bayou Dental Group enjoys working with children. Not only are kids fun, but this is a great opportunity to educate them about their oral health.
We want to make dental visits enjoyable for your children, too. We know this can help to build a lifelong habit of dental care that will keep their mouths healthy for decades to come.
1 By The First
Before your child’s initial visit with us, there are some things you can do to help your son or daughter.
You can use a moist cloth to wipe his or her gums before the first tooth erupts. Once your child has a tooth, then you should start brushing with a child-size toothbrush and small amount of toothpaste (about the size of a grain of rice). Remember: As soon as your child has teeth, he or she can develop tooth decay.
The American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry recommends bringing your child for his or her first dental visit no later than his or her first birthday.
We realize your son or daughter won’t have many teeth at this point, but it’s never too early for a check-up. You are also developing a habit (that we hope will continue) of bringing your child for regular visits to our office.
This first visit isn’t just for your child. It’s also a great opportunity for you to ask questions about what you can do to encourage good oral hygiene habits at home.
Gentle Dentistry
One of the worst feelings any parent can experience is knowing that your child is in pain.
We know this, and we understand this. This is why we try to make your kids’ dental care as pain-free as possible.
Routine dental visits actually help with this. If your child does develop a cavity, we are more likely to catch it at an early stage if your family visits us regularly.
In some cases, we may not even have to numb his or her tooth to treat the tooth decay. If we find the cavity early, we can use air abrasion to remove the decay. Air abrasion works by uses air to push tiny particles into your child’s teeth. This acts as a miniature sandblaster to remove the decay — no drill required.
The gentle care that we provide is also reflected in the concern that our staff has for all our patients no matter how young or old.
We want your children to know that we are here to help them stay healthy and that we will make every effort to make their care as painless as we can.
Baby Teeth Are Important
Some parents may wonder why it matters if a primary tooth has a cavity. It’s just going to fall out anyway, right?
That is true, but your children’s primary teeth (also called baby teeth) are still important. If nothing else, these are the teeth they will learn to brush and floss. If they can keep their baby teeth healthy, then they are developing good habits that they can continue to use when they have their permanent teeth.
Some time after age 3, your child will express a desire to brush his or her own teeth to prove that he or she is a “big kid” or just as a natural part of becoming more independent.
At this age, you want your child to brush his or her teeth twice each day. Each time, he or she should use a pea-sized amount of toothpaste to scrub his or her teeth for at least two minutes and being sure to clean the teeth on all sides. It’s still a good idea to floss between their teeth once a day, too.
Primary teeth also act as space savers. Children’s baby teeth usually start falling out between the ages of 6 and 7. Often, the adult teeth erupt behind them.
In a way, baby teeth serve as guides that direct where the permanent teeth will go. When baby teeth fall out early, this can affect the alignment of their teeth and the development of their jaw.
Happy Children
Children don’t always appreciate the things their parents do for them, but parents continue to do them anyway because they love their kids.
Keeping your kids’ teeth healthy — and teaching them to do the same — is another one of those things. Our team at Bayou Dental Group wants to help however we can.
This starts when you bring your child to our dentist office in Monroe, LA. To make an appointment for a cleaning, just call 318-323-9303 or fill out our online form.