Adults need to see the dentist every six months to have a cleaning done, removing all harmful plaque and tartar. But did you know that starting at age two, kids need the same thing? Cleanings can help protect little smiles, and a visit now is a chance to safeguard their smiles before the hectic holiday season begins. At your Frisco, TX, children’s dental practice, we can protect kids with a dental cleaning!
The Causes of Plaque and Tartar
What causes harmful buildup to accumulate on your child’s teeth? When kids don’t brush and floss properly, this could allow plaque to form and harden with time into tartar. A diet high in sugar, which feeds the harmful bacteria behind the buildup, could be a factor too. Without a professional cleaning to remove it, this can pose a serious risk for your child’s oral health!
Risks for Little Smiles
The buildup can weaken and erode the outer enamel to allow harmful bacteria to reach the sensitive inner dentin, leading to tooth decay. Eventually, the decay will grow and spread until the tooth hurts and the risk of infection or even tooth loss increases. The layers can also irritate and inflame the gums, so the chances of gingivitis forming is much higher. We don’t want your children to develop painful symptoms or risk premature tooth loss and the risk of misalignment, so we will remove the layers with a professional visit.
Cleaning Their Teeth
The procedure only takes a few minutes to complete and is essential for keeping your smile healthy and strong. Every six months, we will use an ultrasonic scaling device and a manual tool to gently break up and remove all plaque and tartar from the smile. We then polish the teeth for a brighter appearance and to make it more difficult for plaque and tartar to buildup on the teeth. The process helps fight cavities, as well as bad breath and teeth stains. At home, you can help by making sure your kids brush for two minutes when they wake up and then again before bed, always with a fluoride toothpaste and a toothbrush with soft bristles. Kids also need to floss every evening before bed too, as this removes what a toothbrush alone cannot.
If you have any questions about how we conduct cleanings to keep your smile healthy and strong, then contact our team today to learn more! Your little one deserves optimal oral health and shining smiles, and we want to help make it possible.
TALK TO YOUR FRISCO, TX, DENTIST ABOUT THEIR NEXT VISIT
With the holiday season coming up, we want to make sure kids end the year with bright and healthy smiles. To learn more about keeping smiles healthy and strong, then call Healthy Smiles Children’s Dentistry at (214) 436-4774.