National Children’s Dental Health Month | Dental Depot

Preventative Care

From the appearance of the first baby tooth to the eruption of the last adult tooth, routine and preventative dental care is the foundation for your child’s long-term oral health, and preventative care services are typically covered at 100% by almost all of the major insurances Dental Depot accepts, as well as our dental membership plans.

Good preventative care includes:

Twice-yearly checkups and cleanings. These ensure that your child’s teeth and gums are remaining healthy and developing properly. They also give your dentist a chance to check for potential issues, provide guidance on oral hygiene, and educate parents.

Treatments like fluoride applications and dental sealants. Fluoride and dental sealants help protect your child’s teeth against decay, especially as molars begin to erupt. Sealants can help reduce the risk of cavities by 80%, while fluoride can help strengthen developing enamel.

A daily oral hygiene routine. Brushing with a fluoride toothpaste, flossing, and rinsing with a fluoride mouthwash are the best ways to keep your child’s teeth healthy and stave off cavities. If it’s difficult to get your child to brush for 2 minutes twice a day, try to make it fun by:

• Doing it with them
• Letting them choose their toothpaste and toothbrush
• Keeping it routine
• Explaining why it’s important
• Rewarding them

Here are some more tips on building those healthy habits at every age.

A healthy diet, including limiting sweets and sugary foods. Kids are at a higher risk of cavities because their primary teeth have more porous enamel, making them more vulnerable to the acid produced by sugar-feeding bacteria. Combined with deep grooves in erupting molars that trap sugars, less-developed oral hygiene habits, and diets high in starches and sugar, children’s teeth are particularly susceptible to decay and cavities.

Here are some ways to help you get a handle on things like candy, especially when holidays make it harder.

Preparing for the future. An orthodontic consultation at around age 7 can help you and your dental care team get ahead of any potential problems that could occur as the result of things like misalignment or malocclusions. An appointment at this age doesn’t mean your child will get orthodontic treatment, but it does provide a baseline for developing the best treatment plan possible going forward.