Your children may have inherited some physical likenesses from you as their parents or even some personality traits, but because they are children, their needs are different. A pediatric dentist has sought additional years of education and experience to make him a specialist in his chosen field. The expertise that he has gained has qualified him to treat the dental issues that are specific to children through to adulthood.
Many professionals well respected in the dental community agree that every child should see a dentist by the time he or she is one year of age or as soon as their first tooth erupts. One of the main goals of these early visits to the dentist is to educate parents on the importance of the child’s oral health and to explain and demonstrate how best to achieve and maintain it. On a psychological level, the thought is that the sooner children are exposed to the environment of the dental office the less likely they will be to fear it in the future. As parents prepare for their child’s first dental appointment, parents should take into consideration how important their child’s first time at the dentist’s office is. A negative experience could result in years of dental fear and anxiety later on.
Proper home care becomes more and more important as your child grows and his primary teeth continue to develop. Some people have the concept that this first set of “baby teeth” are insignificant, they’re going to fall out anyway, right? Yes, but while they are in place they are allowing the child to chew his food and communicate his thoughts through clearly spoken words.
Baby teeth are there to save the space for when the permanent teeth are ready to make their appearance. They act as a guide for the permanent teeth to take their rightful place. Every effort should be made to maintain the baby teeth until they have accomplished their purpose. With this end in mind, a regimen of good oral health habits should be adopted. Parents can provide a good example by brushing and flossing right along with their children.
Dr. Patterson of Epic Dentistry for Kids is here to help patients and parents alike to appreciate the importance of early on pediatric dental care in Aurora. Make your next appointment today, call 720-721-3600.
