A Few Questions to Ask Your Kid’s Dentist

Posted August 31, 2020

Most parents hope that they’re doing all they can to help their children protect and preserve their healthy smiles. By teaching them the basics of good dental hygiene and ensuring they visit their dentist routinely for checkups and cleanings, you can provide kids with most of the tools they need. Yet, there can be some things you might do to help boost their chances of avoiding the development of any oral health concerns that might have significant long-term impacts on their smiles. To make sure you’re doing all you can for your child’s oral health, here are few questions you should ask your kid’s dentist during their next visit.

Does my child need particular hygiene products?

The basics of good dental hygiene are just that – the basics – and in some cases, a few specific types of hygiene products can give your child a necessary boost in their efforts. For example, most children can benefit from using toothpaste that has a small amount of fluoride in it, which can help strengthen the enamel that surrounds and protects their teeth. Yet, some children may benefit significantly from using an automatic toothbrush, while others may do a better job of cleaning their teeth manually. Speak to your child’s dentist to determine if any specific products can help your child protect their teeth and oral health better.

What’s the most important hygiene lesson to teach?

Good dental hygiene doesn’t seem that complicated until you try to break it down into lessons and teach it to your children. There’s a lot more to cover and discuss that you might think at first, and it can be confusing to choose what lessons you should focus most on emphasizing and enforcing. While every lesson is important, the most impactful part of any hygiene routine is consistency. Brushing and flossing excellently, but only once in a while, can leave your child’s smile just as exposed to oral health concerns as practicing poor hygiene every day. Stress the importance of consistency when teaching your child, and ask your child’s dentist for pointers about how to make the lesson stick.

When is more direct dental treatment appropriate?

Most of the things you can do for your child’s dental health or teach them about caring for it are focused on helping your child prevent problems from developing. In addition to dental checkups and cleaning, this is also the goal for many other treatments that we provide specifically for children. For example, children who have weak tooth enamel or need help improving their dental hygiene practices might benefit from preventive measures like fluoride and dental sealants. These treatments can strengthen your child’s teeth and reduce the risks of cavities and more, and you should ask your child’s dentist if one or both treatments are a good idea.

Learn more by asking your kid’s dentist

The more you know about caring for your child’s teeth and oral health, the better you can help them maintain their healthy smiles for life. To learn more, schedule an appointment by calling Pediatric Dental Care at Casa Linda in Dallas, TX today at 214-321-4880. We proudly serve patients who live around Casa Linda and all surrounding Dallas communities.