Questions To Ask Your Pediatric Dentist
Here at Great Grins for KIDS - Portland in Portland, OR we want all of our patients to be well informed on their oral health – a child understanding how to take proper care of their teeth will help them tremendously throughout their life. When your child is at our office, we take the time to help them learn about proper oral health and hygiene. Most of the time, they rely on you, their parent for proper oral health and hygiene guidance. Here is a list of the most commonly asked questions and answers that you and your child should be aware of.
How Old Should My Child Be Before They Go To The Dentist?
The American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry (AAPD) recommends that your child visit a dentist at by the age of one, or 6 months after their first tooth has come in, whichever comes first. Getting to know your child and their oral issues early give us a chance to build a rapport with them, which helps them to feel comfortable with seeing us on a semi-annual basis.
Why Are Baby Teeth Important?
Baby teeth only last a few years, so why is the health of baby teeth so critical? The overall health of the mouth depends on many factors, and when health suffers or if these teeth are lost before they should be, it can set the tone for their oral health for a long time. Baby teeth act as placeholders for adult teeth, and if the health of the baby teeth are suffering as the adult teeth come in, the adult teeth will suffer in health too.
How Often Does My Child Need To Have A Dental Checkup?
We like to make sure to have all of our patients see us at least twice a year so that we can help them maintain great oral health. We can help to clean away plaque and tartar in hard-to-reach areas and help you and your kids identify the areas that they have trouble reaching when they brush.
How Often Does My Child Need Dental X-Rays?
We like to take the first dental X-ray of your child between the ages of three and five. Depending on what we see and how their teeth are coming in, we may want to perform dental X-rays sooner rather than later. We will take additional X-rays every one to two years following the first set because they help us to catch oral health issues like cavities early.
What Kind Of Toothpaste Should My Child Use?
What kind of toothpaste you should buy for your child depends on how old your child is, and how likely they will be to intentionally ingest the toothpaste. Usually, kids younger than two will swallow most or all of their toothpaste, so it’s best to choose one that doesn’t have any fluoride. If you think your child can handle spitting out the foamy toothpaste, it may be time for them to graduate to a fluoride toothpaste. There are so many great flavors and brands of toothpaste now that it should be easy to get your kids excited about brushing their teeth!
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