How A Cleaning Helps Your Child’s Oral Health
A dental cleaning allows the dentist to remove all plaque and tartar from the teeth. The process is essential for keeping teeth strong, and avoiding painful cavities and infections. In today’s blog, your Dallas, TX, pediatric dentist talks about how a dental cleaning can help your child’s smile.
What Plaque Means for Little Smiles
Plaque is something that can form on smiles of all ages, even babies and toddlers. This is a bacterial byproduct that occurs as bacteria break down the particles left behind by the foods and drinks we consume. The buildup is difficult to remove, and could worsen with time, hardening into tartar. This layer could stain teeth and cause bad breath. Without removal this eventually erodes the outer enamel to allow cavities to form, and could inflame gum tissues to cause gingivitis. To safeguard the smile, your child should see us every six months starting at around age two, so we can remove the buildup completely.
The Dental Cleaning Process
The dental cleaning involves the dentist or a hygienist using an ultrasonic scaling device and a manual tool to thoroughly and gently break up and remove all plaque and tartar. Afterward, we polish the teeth for a smoother finish and a brighter appearance. This helps reduce the risk of cavities and gingivitis.
Brushing and Flossing
In between these six-month visits, you can make sure your child is taking proper care of his or her smile at home, which limits the severity of plaque and tartar buildup. They should brush when they wake up and then again before going to bed, with each session lasting about two minutes. You can assist your younger children, and monitor your older ones. You can find fun videos about brushing online that will time them. For kids three and younger, use a rice-sized amount of fluoride toothpaste, while kids three and idler should use a pea-sized amount. You should also make sure they floss before bed too. Young kids can use a floss pick, as this is easier for them to handle with limited dexterity. Older kids can use floss tape. Other helpful tips include cutting back on foods, snacks, and drinks high in starch and sugar, as the particles left behind could encourage plaque buildup!
If you have any questions about our dental cleaning process, or about caring for little smiles from home, then contact our team today to learn more. We want to help your child enjoy bright smiles for years to come!
Does Your Little One Need Preventive Dentistry?
We would like to help kids enjoy better oral health with preventive treatment options. If you have any questions about caring for your child’s smile, then contact your Dallas, TX pediatric dentist, Dr. Marr, by calling (214) 321-4880.
filed under: Preventive Treatments