Having young children is one of the most exciting and fulfilling aspects of life, but you want to make sure that you provide them with the best care as possible. One of the areas that you’re focused on is their dental health, and you want to be as proactive as you can every step of the way. That’s why your pediatric dentist in Irving wants you to know when they should first be brought in for an appointment and why it’s so important for them to establish healthy habits early on.
When Should Your Children Make Their First Visits to the Dentist?
The American Dental Association (ADA) recommends that you schedule your children’s first dentist visits after their initial teeth erupt and no later than the ages of one or two. For a smoother transition, you can also let your little ones tag along for one of their older sibling’s appointments, just so they can get a feel for what a dentist visit is like.
Why is it So Important to Start Early?
Providing your children with early experiences with the dentist has several benefits, including:
- It allows them to get accustomed to visiting their local dentist, which is great for forming healthy habits.
- Your dentist will be able to identify any problems with how the primary teeth are growing in and make any necessary adjustments.
- It’s a great time for your children to ask any questions they may have and get pointers from the dental hygienist and kids’ dentist in Irving about how to better care for their teeth.
By introducing your children to preventive dentistry, you can also offset serious issues that tend to occur more often in adults, like gum disease and tooth loss. Many of the people who suffer from these problems started out with poor oral care that continued to mushroom into bigger issues as they got older.
The Power of Oral Hygiene
In addition to bringing your children in for preventive care, you should also teach them proper oral hygiene skills at home, including:
- How to brush their teeth properly, including the length of time – the ADA recommends two minutes.
- How eating healthier snacks protects their teeth and acts as a form of oral hygiene.
- As they get older, how to floss properly to avoid damage to their gums and remove the harmful plaque that hides between their teeth.
By forming a partnership with your children’s dentist in Irving, you are sure to instill the oral care habits that you want in your children and leave them with healthy mouths, teeth and gums. And in doing so, you can rest assure that they’ll enjoy excellent oral health for the rest of their lives.
About the Author
Dr. Russel Choy earned his DDS degree from the University of Southern California School of Dentistry. In addition, he acquired a specialty certificate in pediatric dentistry from Tufts University in Boston. While there, he received extensive training in child psychology/behavior management, which helps him relate to children and provide the unique care they need. He practices at Rio Dental & Orthodontics and can be reached for more information through his website.