Kid’s Dental Exam & Check Up
Children deserve a healthy smile. By scheduling dental care on a routine basis, you are creating a groundwork for a lifetime of healthy teeth and gums. Children will develop a positive attitude about oral health care as regular dental care can help prevent tooth decay and gum disease, therefore, helping children avoid extensive dental procedures. It is recommended that children should visit the dentist for a routine exam and cleaning every six months. Regular visits will identify tooth decay before they have a chance to seriously affect your child’s smile.
- A gentle examination of your child’s teeth, gums, jaws, head and neck
- An interactive, easy to comprehend review with your child on proper tooth brushing, flossing and overall oral hygiene techniques
- A parent consultation outlining the best way to improve the child’s oral health including tips for at-home oral hygiene, diet and nutrition
- A review of any growth abnormalities due to natural growth, injuries or finger-sucking habits as well as a discussion of solutions via orthodontic treatment
- Fluoride treatment to help strengthen the teeth
- Any radiographs/x-rays if necessary
Children get used to the dentist
Your child will need a dentist for years to come, so it’s helpful to establish the routine – and get familiar with the staff and space – as soon as possible. Normalise trips to the dentist, instead of waiting until they’re associated with pain or fear.
Children learn how to brush their teeth properly
Dentist will help your child learn age-appropriate lessons and strategies for keeping their teeth and gums healthy.
Poor oral habits are caught earlier
Thumb sucking, nail biting, tooth grinding, and other repetitive habits can affect the formation of the teeth and jaw, so it’s important for dentists to stay up-to-date with your children’s oral habits.
Dentists can detect early signs of tooth decay
It is important to detect and treat dental decal before the tooth becomes painful. It is much easier for children to have small cavities treated. When cavities are treated earlier the success of this treatment is greater.
Good oral health now could prevent heart disease and diabetes later
Gum disease and tooth infections can lead to infections elsewhere in the body, and tooth decay is actually linked with a higher risk of developing diabetes and heart disease. Good news: if young children avoid tooth decay during childhood, they’re more likely to avoid adult tooth decay and all the risks associated with it.
Fissure Sealants
Preventing tooth decay is the best dental care a child can have. Fissure Sealants are thin, protective layers that block debris and bacteria from accumulating within the deep grooves and fissures of the molars (back teeth). They only take a couple of minutes to place and no numbing is needed. Sealants also make it much easier for your child to clean their teeth daily!
- When should a tooth be fissure sealed?
- What does the procedure involve?
- Can adults teeth be sealed?
- How long do they last?
The golden rule universally agreed among all dentists and hygienists: “as soon as possible after the tooth has erupted.” Fissure Sealants are usually placed in children’s teeth as this is when teeth are at their highest risk of becoming decayed.
Fissure sealing is very straight forward and completely painless. The dentist firstly cleans the tooth surface with a special agent to help make the surface ‘sticky’; the sealant ( looks like ‘white paint’) is then applied to the surface of the tooth where it flows into all the pits and grooves. Lastly, a special ‘curing’ light is shone on the sealant to make it set. That’s it! The whole process takes less than a minute to complete.
Yes of course! It is more common to seal “permanent” teeth rather than “baby” teeth (in children), but every person has unique needs. Your dentist will recommend sealants on a case by case basis.
Generally about 3 to 5 years. However, it is fairly common to see adults with fissure sealants still intact from their childhood. As part of your regular check-up, the dentist will check your fissure sealants to make sure they are
present and protecting your teeth. A fissure sealant only provides protection when it is fully intact so if your sealant chips or comes off, you should drop down to the dentist or hygienist so it can be repaired or replaced.
