The Unique Dental Needs of Children

The Unique Dental Needs of Children

February 7, 2014 / in childrens dentist / by FWCD-Admin
Cute little girl wearing a blue dress

Visiting a children’s dentist for routine checkups and cleanings is an important component of maintaining a child’s oral health. When it comes to pediatric dentistry, children have unique dental needs. From infancy to teenage years, children and adolescences require special attention from dental health professionals for a variety of reasons—especially when it comes to establishing healthy habits, preventing decay, and monitoring dental development.

Children should visit a dentist around their first birthday. During this initial visit with our children’s dentist, an examination will be conducted to reveal any developmental or congenital abnormalities such as issues involving an occlusion (the alignment of the upper and lower sets of teeth) and cleft palates. Between the ages of four and five, your child should receive his or her first dental cleaning. Visiting a children’s dentist on a regular basis helps reduce the likelihood of developing dental phobias while also promoting the importance of oral healthcare and proper hygiene practices. During cleanings, our team will provide oral hygiene education in a kid-friendly format so that children develop healthy dental habits at a young age.

An important component of pediatric dentistry involves preventing cavities. Because tooth decay is an infectious disease that can produce pain and discomfort when left untreated, pediatric services such as fluoride treatments, dental sealants, and fillings are necessary to maintain healthy mouths.

When teeth are exposed to strong acids over time that damage tooth enamel, children possess a heightened risk for developing decay. To help keep enamel strong and healthy, we administer flavored fluoride treatments that replenish and strengthen tooth enamel. Because children often encounter difficulty keeping their back teeth clean, molars are more susceptible to decay than other types of teeth. Dental sealants help prevent decay along molars by filling in the pits and grooves on the biting surface of these teeth with a durable material made of plastic that is resistant to bacteria. When cavities are detected, our dentist will gently remove all decayed regions of teeth and place fillings to prevent further damage and the spread of the infection.

To learn more about the benefits of pediatric dentistry, contact our friendly team today at 817-569-6633 to schedule an appointment with our children’s dentist.