Maintaining good oral health is vital to supporting a healthy body and proper development in children of all ages, and that's why our dentists at Just for Kids, along with the Academy of Pediatric Dentistry, strongly recommend routine pediatric dental cleanings and additional preventative dental care for all kids.
What Is a Pediatric Dental Cleaning?
A pediatric dental cleaning is a deep cleaning of a child's teeth performed by a skilled dental hygienist. This cleaning involves scaling and polishing the teeth to remove plaque, tartar, bacteria, surface stains, and other accumulated debris from the surfaces of the teeth and the gum line to support good oral health.
In pediatric cleanings, dental hygienists use dental instruments that are specially shaped and sized to fit the smaller contours of a child's teeth, ensuring a more comfortable and positive experience.
Why Dental Cleanings for Kids Are So Important
Supporting good oral health during childhood is vital for your child's future health, oral hygiene habits, and dental care experience.
Preventing Common Oral Health Problems
While brushing and flossing at home helps to maintain good oral health, it often doesn't completely remove everything that can accumulate on the surfaces of the teeth, especially calculus (hardened plaque and tartar). As calculus accumulates, it can lead to oral health problems like tooth decay, cavities, and periodontal disease (gum disease).
Professional teeth cleanings remove the buildup of calculus from the tooth enamel, helping to prevent all of these oral health problems by supporting healthy teeth and gums.
The Connection Between Oral Health and General Health
While many people think about oral health and the general health of the body as two separate things, they are actually strongly connected. Oral health has a profound impact on the body's overall wellness, making it super important to take good care of your child's teeth and gums.
Poor oral health can lead to cavities and oral health problems that impact a child's quality of life. It can also lead to gum disease, which increases the risk of developing a whole host of systemic health problems, such as diabetes, heart disease, chronic respiratory infections, rheumatoid arthritis, dementia, certain types of cancer, and reproductive health problems.
So, maintaining good oral health with professional and at-home dental care is vital to safeguarding your child's overall health and happiness throughout life.
Early Detection and Treatment
Despite preventative dental care and at-home oral hygiene, oral health problems can still sometimes develop. In these cases, routine dental cleanings and exams give our dentists the opportunity to detect, diagnose, and treat issues when they first develop.
Early on, most oral health concerns are simple, easy, and non-invasive to address. This means less pain and discomfort for your child and more cost-effective dental treatments. Plus, early detection and treatment are vital to preventing more serious oral health issues from developing.
Intercepting Orthodontic Issues
During routine checkups, our dentists keep a close eye on the development of each of our patients' oral anatomy. We keep an eye out for telltale signs of future orthodontic issues, and we can recommend interceptive treatments to address these issues early on, preventing the need for extensive orthodontic treatment later in life.
Building a Strong Foundation of Oral Health
When you prioritize your child's dental care and oral health, they will learn to do the same. Bringing them to the dentist for routine dental cleanings builds a strong foundation of oral health by helping them develop good oral hygiene habits and helping them understand the importance of dental care. Pediatric teeth cleanings protect children from growing into adults with oral health problems, giving them a strong start for a healthy future.
What to Expect During a Kids Teeth Cleaning
A child's dental cleaning appointment usually takes between 30 minutes and an hour, depending on the child's comfort in the dental chair and any additional services or treatments needed.
Preparing for Your Child's Dental Appointment
Before your child's appointment, we welcome you to visit our office to give your child the opportunity to become familiar with the environment and meet our team without the pressure of having a dental appointment. We also welcome you to talk with our team about any special needs (medical, behavioral, or emotional) your child might have for their dental cleaning. We are happy to accommodate all children and can work with you to ensure your child has a positive experience during their dental care.
Dental Prophylaxis Cleaning
Your child's appointment will begin with a gentle, yet thorough, prophylaxis cleaning. This cleaning is similar to an adult dental hygiene appointment. Our hygienist will use special tools to gently scale your child's teeth, removing accumulated plaque and tartar from the surfaces. We then use a gritty paste and rotating brush to polish the tooth enamel, removing any remaining calculus and lifting surface-level stains.
Throughout this process, we communicate with your child so that they understand what we are doing, why we are doing it, and what to expect. We will also provide opportunities for your child to take a break and rinse when needed.
Professional Examination
One of our pediatric dentists will then examine your child's teeth and gums. During this examination, we look for any signs of potential oral health issues, such as soft spots or dark spots that could indicate tooth decay or cavities. We also examine the gum tissues, looking for signs of gum disease. We will also evaluate your child's oral anatomy and development.
Digital Dental X-Rays
Depending on your child's needs, we might also recommend digital dental X-rays. These digital images are quick and painless to take, and they expose children to very minimal amounts of radiation compared to traditional X-rays. We recommend radiographs to monitor the development of your child's jawbone and permanent teeth. Additionally, radiographs can help us detect issues that might be occurring below the gum line, in tight spaces between the teeth, or inside your child's teeth.
Discussion and Recommendations
If we notice anything of concern, we will discuss our findings with you, explain the diagnosis, and provide you with a variety of treatment recommendations for the next steps to take in your child's dental care.
Preventative Care Services
We offer several preventative treatments in addition to routine dental cleanings. The two most common include professional fluoride treatments and dental sealants, and we might recommend these for your child.
- Fluoride - Fluoride is a mineral that helps to strengthen the outer layer of the teeth (tooth enamel). Applying it topically (in a gel, varnish, or foam) helps to reverse early stages of tooth decay and fortify tooth enamel to prevent cavities.
- Dental Sealants - We recommend dental sealants for all permanent molars. Sealants are made of a tooth-colored resin composite and painted onto the chewing surfaces of the teeth. The material fills in the difficult-to-clean crevices on these teeth, making them easier to maintain and protecting them from tooth decay and cavities.
Both treatments are quick and painless to administer during your child's routine appointment.
Patient Education
Throughout your child's appointment, our dental hygienists and dentists provide your child with age-appropriate education about the importance of dental care, oral hygiene, and taking care of their teeth to support their health. We are also here to answer your questions. We always strive to provide parents with guidance designed to help you support your child throughout their oral development.
After Your Child's Appointment
Following your child's appointment, they can return to their normal routine. If they received a fluoride treatment, we recommend waiting at least 30 minutes before eating or drinking anything to allow for maximum absorption and tooth enamel fortification.
If any other treatments were administered during your child's appointment, we will provide you with personalized instructions for aftercare and recovery.
When to Schedule Your Child's First Pediatric Teeth Cleaning
The American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry recommends that infants have their first dental appointment when their first tooth emerges or by the time they celebrate their first birthday, whichever occurs first.
How Often Should Your Child Visit the Dentist for a Deep Teeth Cleaning and Examination?
After the first exam, children should continue visiting the dentist every six months for a professional cleaning and checkup. Our dentist will continue to monitor their oral health and development, providing you with recommendations to help them build a solid foundation of good oral health and oral hygiene habits.
Depending on your child's oral health needs, we might sometimes recommend more frequent appointments. This might be the case if your child is especially prone to developing cavities, shows signs of gum disease, or is undergoing orthodontic treatment.
Developing Healthy Habits: At-Home Oral Hygiene for Kids
Developing good oral hygiene habits by taking care of your child's teeth at home in between professional dental appointments is vital for achieving and maintaining good oral health.
Oral Care Products
We will be happy to provide you with personalized recommendations for your child's dental care products. Generally, we recommend selecting a soft-bristled toothbrush in an appropriate size for your child's age and developmental stage. Allowing your child to choose the color or style can help them get more excited about brushing. Be sure to choose toothpaste that the American Dental Association has approved in a flavor your child likes. When it comes to choosing floss for children, floss picks can be easier for them to use, and waxed floss will glide more smoothly between their teeth.
Brushing
Parents should brush and floss their children's teeth until the child has developed an interest in taking care of their teeth and has strong enough motor skills and understanding to care for their teeth on their own (often around age 7 or 8). Parents should continue to supervise and help children use proper techniques while ensuring thorough cleaning.
Show your child how to hold the toothbrush at a 45-degree angle to the teeth for optimal cleaning. Teeth should be brushed twice a day (morning and before bed) for at least two minutes (30 seconds per quadrant).
Flossing
Teeth should be flossed at least once a day. Hold the floss in a "C" shape around the sides of each tooth, while running it up and down along the sides. Be sure to gently clean on either side of the "V" of gum tissues between the teeth.
Dietary Choices
Your child's diet is also vital to their oral health. Eating a balanced diet with a wide variety of nutrients will help their bodies build strong teeth and bones as they develop, in addition to supporting their immune system and healthy gum tissues.
Avoid sugary beverages and foods as much as possible. Also, try to minimize overly sticky foods. If your child does enjoy these treats, from time to time, be sure to have them rinse out their mouth with water after they have finished.
Choosing a Pediatric Dentist: Schedule Your Child's Next Pediatric Teeth Cleaning in Waxahachie
Pediatric dentists complete additional education and training that uniquely prepares them to treat growing and developing infants, toddlers, children, adolescents, and young adults. Plus, everything in a pediatric dental clinic, like Just for Kids, is designed with children and families in mind, making your child's dental care experience positive, fun, relaxed, and happy.
To learn more about the importance of routine dental cleanings and examinations for children or to request an appointment for your child, we welcome you to contact Just for Kids in Waxahachie, Texas. We look forward to helping your child develop a strong foundation of good oral health that they can enjoy and benefit from for life!
