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Good mouth care is a very important part of your child's overall health. Making sure your child regularly sees a dentist is as vital as taking him in to the pediatrician for his well-child visits. Daily dental care at home is necessary, as are the cleanings and radiographs received during an appointment. Teeth start to emerge as soon as six months (and earlier in some cases) and it is recommended that the first exam take place by your baby's first birthday. Visits should be continued every six months thereafter. During the first appointment, an examination of the teeth, tongue and mouth will be done to check for any problems. An X-ray may also be completed at this time. The dentist will then speak with you to address any problems or concerns about emergence, development, or decay. She will explain why good oral hygiene is important, the effects of sleeping with a bottle, as well as the detriment that is caused by thumb sucking. Your young baby or toddler will not undergo a cleaning during the visit, as this is not typically done until he or she can sit still with an open mouth for an extended length of time. Often, the age of the first cleaning is around five years old. At your child's first cleaning, he will also be given the same examinations that he received as a toddler. After the exam is complete, his teeth will be flossed, checked for cavities and then cleaned. Cleaning, or scaling, is done to remove tartar build up. When tartar is left on teeth, it gives bacteria a surface to cling to. Scaling can be done with ultrasonic equipment or by hand. The ultrasonic instrument uses vibrations to gently break apart the tartar. Water is also sprayed out at the same time in order to wash the debris away. Hand tools are also used to gently scrape away plaque. Once this portion of the process is complete, the surfaces will be polished using a special dental tool and prophylaxis paste—this is a special toothpaste that has granules in it to help with polishing. Fluoride is put into trays, which sit in the mouth for just a couple of minutes. If the dentist discovers any problems during the exam, a follow up appointment will need to be made. Examples of some common issues are cavities and problems with bite. Cavities can be treated at the same office where the exam takes place, while problems with bite are usually referred to an orthodontist. Regular appointments not only tackle oral health concerns, they also allow your child to feel comfortable with his dentist. If your little one has any concerns over his visit, you can call the office prior to the appointment for suggestions on how to address these issues. While looking for a dentist Everett residents prefer Crow Family Dentistry as the staff there understands that a positive dental experience requires more than excellent clinical skills and state-of-the-art equipment. To know more, visit http://www.crow-family-dentistry.com
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