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Benefits Dentistry for Children
Maintaining good oral health is essential for experiencing good health overall. That’s why it’s important for kids to understand just how essential lifelong dental care is. With early exposure to the dentist and the dental treatment environment, kids can garner the information and skills they need for maintaining healthy teeth and gums throughout the years. They can also receive timely interventions and preventative care for issues that might otherwise spiral out of control. In short, dentistry for children offers so many benefits that you may not have initially thought about.
What Does a Pediatric Dentist Do?
Pediatric dentists are professionals who have completed a specialized course of dentistry that caters to children who have special needs or otherwise need gentler care. The program consists of two to three years of further training after graduation from dental school. It includes hospital training, where they work with children who have more severe dental needs and emergencies, and training in numerous orthodontic teeth-straightening methods. Pediatric dentists work closely with pediatricians and general dentists, who refer select patients for this specialized dental treatment that requires this advanced training. The American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry (AAPD) is an organization of pediatric dentists, and its website has a good selection of brochures explaining their role in dentistry.
Learning Good Brushing and Flossing Techniques
Although parents can teach their kids proper brushing and flossing strategies at home, going to the dentist allows for additional, needs-specific instruction. Kids and their parents are offered age-specific tips for choosing and using the right oral care tools. There are also resources for showing kids areas of the missed plaque so that they can adjust their self-care accordingly.
Checking for Normal Tooth Development
From a child’s first office visit, dentists check to ensure that the teeth are developing and erupting normally. If there are developmental problems to address, correcting these early on can limit their impact on the integrity and appearance of the smile. Moreover, checking for the signs of developing cavities can additionally help our dentists identify nutritional issues that may be affecting both oral health and a child’s health overall.
Early Referrals
In addition to making sure that the teeth are developing and coming in normally, our dentists can also inspect the alignment of the bite. Problems caused by thumb-sucking, mouth breathing, congenital defects, over-bites, and under-bites can be identified early on thanks to dentistry for children.
Establishing Healthy Life Habits
Dentistry for children sets the stage for healthy life habits. Kids who receive routine dental care during the formative stages of life are statistically more likely to continue receiving timely dental treatments as adults. They also have a better chance of retaining most or all of their natural teeth for complete, healthy and beautiful smiles.
You can learn more about the benefits of dentistry for children during a consultation with us at Brooklyn Blvd Dental. Contact us today to book an appointment for your son or daughter at our office!
