The Importance of Bringing Your Child to the Dentist

A child will likely need to visit a dentist’s office many times throughout their development. While an initial office visit is a good idea, there are many more serious reasons why a child should be taken to see our dentist. Since no two mouths are the same, some children inevitably have more oral health issues than others; consequently, certain children need more oral supervision and treatment than others.

The Routine Checkup

When a child starts visiting our office, this is usually to get the child in the habit of getting routine checkups. Routine checkups help our dentist to monitor how well a child is taking care of their teeth from one visit to the next. The common frequency of a routine checkup will be once every six months on average. It is also an opportunity for our dentists to educate and review helpful oral hygiene tips with children, such as proper brushing and flossing, which are essential to ongoing maintenance of a child’s oral health. Our dentist may also need to discuss dietary factors and strategies that are integral in improving the state of the child’s oral health.

Primary Teeth Are Important

When a child starts to teethe, it is important for parents to make sure they keep these primary teeth intact. Even though these teeth will eventually be replaced, until that occurs, the primary teeth are essential for helping a child to chew properly and talk correctly. As a result, it is best to keep primary teeth around for the long-term. Our dentists will be instrumental in helping parents know how to maintain their child’s teeth, and will also know what to do if problems with primary teeth arise.

Getting a Mouth Protector

As children grow, they will eventually be involved in sports and other activities. For this reason, it is often a good idea to look into having our dentist design and make them a mouth guard to help protect their teeth, face and head from general injury. Our dentists will be able to evaluate and determine what kind of mouth guard is best for your child’s situation. They will have the necessary means to ensure that the right mouth guard fits your child correctly.

A Knocked Out Tooth

Another common problem is a child who has experienced having a permanent tooth knocked out. Finding the tooth, holding it by the top and attempting to reinsert the tooth into the socket is a primary step to take. If the tooth will not go back in, it is best to store the tooth in a glass of milk and take your child to our office at the first possible opportunity. Even if the tooth will go back in, they should still see a dentist to make sure the tooth and the socket are not severely damaged.

Conclusion

The reasons for why a child should visit a dentist are many. As a parent, it is important to ensure your child’s teeth are maintained well into their adult years. Poor oral hygiene will inevitably lead to other serious health problems down the road. Fortunately, our skilled dentists at Ashburn Children’s Dentistry can help to prevent many of these problems by helping your child understand the importance of maintaining their own oral health. Our office is conveniently located in Ashburn. Contact us today to schedule your child’s appointment!