• Best dental care , Dental office , Family dentistry ,
• 15 Mar

If you have a child or multiple children, it will be important to get them in to see a pediatric dentist frequently over the course of their childhood. Ideally, this dental care at the hands of a talented and kind pediatric dentist will begin early on in life, by the time that they reach their first birthday. After all, most babies will start to get their first set of teeth at around six months, if not slightly before or after, and caring for baby teeth can have a profound impact on the eventual health of the adult teeth that come in later on in childhood.

Like dental visits for adults, visiting a pediatric dentist should occur at least every six months for children and teens as well. During these pediatric dental visits, regular teeth cleaning will occur, as will a typical examination of the teeth. However, x rays might be taken to chart the growth of permanent teeth and to identify any other concerns that might be present. Fluoride treatments are also quite popular among many a pediatric dentist, and can be ideal when the permanent teeth have first come in. Such fluoride treatments early on in life can help to keep teeth strong and healthy for many years to come, and now it is quite normal for the average pediatric dentist, at least here in the United States, to advocate for them to most patients (and their parents, of course).

And visiting a pediatric dental office and pediatric dentist early on in life can help to set your child up for a lifetime of dental health. After all, they are more likely to develop good oral hygiene and dental health habits, such as going to the dentist at least twice throughout the year. First of all, this can be essential for identifying any cavities before they become blown out of control.

Unfortunately, untreated cavities are far too common here in the United States. In fact, more than 30% of all adults who fall between the still relatively young ages of 20 and 44 have at least one untreated cavity. And many of these adults currently have even more than just one untreated cavity. Not only can this lead to dental pain that impacts overall quality of life, but it can also cause further decay and oral health problems for any given person. Cavities, after all, are considered to be contagious (something that far too few people are actually aware of).

And as many a pediatric dentist working in the field of family dentistry is likely well aware of, far too many children have untreated cavities as well. In fact, recently conducted research has even found that up to 18%, if not more, of all children in this country are living with at least one untreated dental cavity. Unfortunately, this is likely to lead to issues of dental pain. In far too many cases, children are even missing school – and therefore a valuable part of their education – on far too regular of a basis.

Visiting a dentist regularly can also be beneficial for improving the chances that you will keep your teeth over the long run. From a pediatric dentist in childhood and throughout your teen years to an adult general dentist, regular dental care and the prevalence of dentists throughout the country have helped to lower the rates of tooth loss over time. And this has actually helped to improve overall life expectancy quite considerably, as research has found a connection to more natural teeth and longer lifespans in the people who have them. Therefore, the care and keeping of your teeth extends far past just impacting your teeth, as important as teeth might be in and of themselves.

For yourself and for your children, dental care matters. Fortunately, there are more reputable dental care professionals than ever before here in the United States – and likely in many other places all throughout the world as a whole. For many people, taking the time and spending the money to go see a dentist will more than pay off at the end of the day.