Many parents are not entirely sure when they should start having their children evaluated by a professional dentist. Because children have “baby” teeth, which are not permanent, it may seem like children do not need preventative and restorative dental care until their adult teeth come in. However, there are many reasons why children need professional dental treatment to maintain healthy mouths and teeth.
Our Elmhurst dental office recommends that your children have evaluations with professional dentists as soon as they have teeth. Early and consistent pediatric dental treatment will help your children maintain optimal dental health as children and adults.
Although baby teeth are indeed impermanent, they are still very important to pediatric development. It’s important to maintain the health of these teeth so that they do not have to be removed to cavity and infection. Primary teeth maintain spaces for permanent adult teeth to emerge in childhood. Baby teeth also allow children to develop normal speaking patterns and enunciate clearly.
Maintaining a regular schedule of professional dental cleanings for your children will allow them to get used to going to the dentist, and develop positive experiences at the dental office. Many adult patients report that they avoid the dentist because they have bad memories from childhood and they experience dental anxiety. It’s important to start your children off on a positive foot at a dentist’s office that caters to children.
Our dental office takes the time to explain the dental cleaning process to children. We review why cleaning teeth and gum tissue is important. We also explain how to brush and floss correctly, so that children feel confident and comfortable maintaining a daily dental hygiene routine.
As a parent, you can help your children maintain lifelong dental health, by getting them the professional dental treatment they need in childhood. Give our Elmhurst dentists a call to learn more about pediatric dentistry or to schedule an appointment, today!