Now that the school year has ended and you start making plans for summer vacation, do not forget to schedule your child’s semi-annual dental appointment. Children need to see their pediatric dentist in Amherst every six months for a cleaning and checkup. While many people tend to believe that the primary teeth do not require dental care, they set the foundation for your child’s dental health in the future. They must receive regular care from a dentist to ensure they develop and maintain a healthy smile. With summer upon us, now is the perfect time to schedule their preventive appointment.
Start the Summer with a Healthy Smile
The American Dental Association recommends everyone over the age of two sees their dentist twice a year for preventive care. This is especially important for children who are still developing their teeth and oral functions. Although you take great pride in ensuring your child brushes and flosses correctly, there are many areas in the mouth children do not clean well, like the back molars.
Despite your best intentions at home, roughly 20% of children under the age of 11 have untreated tooth decay. This could easily be prevented with a regular dental appointment. At their routine appointment, we thoroughly clean the teeth while discussing the importance of dental hygiene. We will talk with your child and teach them how to properly care for their teeth.
In addition to a cleaning, we perform a comprehensive checkup. We do more than just look for cavities. We evaluate their dental health as a whole to ensure the teeth are developing and erupting correctly. We will even monitor the eruption and position of the permanent teeth as the baby teeth begin to fall out. With regular monitoring, we are better able to detect potential dental problems, such as overcrowding. This allows us to provide quick intervention to reduce the need for costly and invasive procedures in the future.
During our examination, we will likely recommend certain preventive treatments, such as a fluoride varnish. This help to keep the enamel strong to ward off tooth decay. We also apply dental sealants to cavity-prone areas, like the back molars. This adds a protective barrier to reduce the occurrence of cavities in these areas.
Ensure a Healthy Smile for the Future
The health and development of your child’s teeth depends on their home oral hygiene and care from their children’s dentist in Amherst. However, their commitment to lifelong dental health also relies of regular dental appointments.
Children who visit the dentist often develop a trusted relationship with their dentist while also understanding the important of dental health. This makes going to the dentist enjoyable while also allowing them to understand proper oral health. As a result, they are more likely to maintain their oral care as an adult.
This summer, start the season off right with a trip to your dentist. Contact Northampton Pediatric Dentistry today to schedule a consultation for a healthy smile.