Learn How We Keep Your Kids' Teeth Healthy
Your child develops at a dizzying rate from the moment they exit the womb. As you check off all of the necessary health care boxes, don’t forget about their all-important dental health. Though you may think of those first 20 teeth as simply passing through, their role in your child’s future dental health shouldn’t be underestimated. And when their secondary teeth begin to erupt, you can take some important steps to protect them right out of the gate.
At Steelecroft Dental, under the experienced care of Dr. John L. Bishop, we offer pediatric dental services that help parents in the Charlotte, North Carolina, area ensure that their kids have the best start in life when it comes to their oral health.
Here’s a look at how sealants, regular cleanings, fluoride treatments, and more can help keep your kids’ teeth as healthy as possible.
The role of baby teeth
As we mentioned, it’s easy to consider baby teeth as disposable — after all, they’re only there for a few short years before your child’s secondary, or adult, teeth come in. The fact is that baby teeth are all-important when it comes to your child’s development, teaching them how to chew and speak properly.
Beyond chewing and speaking, your child’s baby teeth act as placeholders for their permanent teeth, enabling these stronger teeth to come in correctly.
Protecting baby teeth
From the moment your child’s first teeth come in, we jump into action to help these early teeth serve out their roles. One of our first lines of defense for these smaller, softer teeth is to boost the enamel, which we can accomplish through fluoride varnishes.
Starting with your child’s first tooth, we apply a varnish that helps protect the tooth from decay. To do this, we simply brush on the varnish, which is perfectly safe, and allow it to harden, forming a protective layer over their teeth. We need to keep up with these fluoride treatments for as long as your child has their baby teeth, but the process is extremely quick and easy.
Sealing in adult teeth
When your child’s first molars begin to come in, usually around the age of six, we want to get ahead of the tooth decay curve by applying a sealant to each new secondary tooth. This simple step reduces the risk of decay in your child’s new molars by up to 80%.
The sealant provides a protective shield around the tooth, preventing bacteria from making its way through. Though people at any age can have their teeth sealed, if you start just as soon as your child’s first permanent teeth come in, you’re giving them the advantage of early protection that will serve them well long into the future.
Regular cleaning
Adults aren’t the only ones who can benefit from regular professional cleanings. In fact, we like to start the process just as soon as the first teeth come in to familiarize your child with good dental care. During these early cleanings, we take the time to show you how you can best clean your child’s teeth and, as they get older, we show them directly how to manage their own care.
As your child transitions from their baby teeth to their adult teeth, these regular cleanings allow us to stay on top of their dental health, spotting any potential problems and heading them off as quickly as possible.
The bottom line is that preventive dental care with fluoride, sealants, and regular cleanings right from the start will help set your child up for a bright future of great dental health. To get started, please give us a call to make an appointment, or use the online scheduling tool.