Why Parents Should Take Their Child To A Dental Hygienist At An Early Age
In the past, pediatricians advised taking children to the dental hygienist when they had all the milk teeth in their mouths. Normally, the complete appearance of deciduous or temporary teeth (commonly known as “baby teeth”) occurs around 30-36 months of age.
Currently, the American Dental Association (ADA) advises going to the dental hygienist even before the first birthday. Because it has been observed that many children before 3 years of age already have cavities due to bad cleaning habits.
In this way, when making the first consultation at 12 months of age, preventive measures can be established, and parents can be advised on feeding and oral cleaning.
Many parents think that keeping their child’s temporary teeth healthy is not very important. However, tooth decay can cause pain and infections that may require the administration of analgesics and antibiotics to relieve symptoms. Also, sometimes it can cause damage to the tooth that will come out later.
The replacement of temporary teeth begins around 6 years of age, an early loss of these can cause, apart from aesthetic problems, difficulties in chewing and swallowing, and alterations in the proper pronunciation of words. Also, the temporary teeth guide the permanent dental eruption. If premature extraction is performed on a temporary tooth and that space is not maintained, it can cause problems for the correct eruption of the permanent tooth and in the future, there may be dental crowding or bad dental positioning.
If the dental hygienist detects that the child is at risk of developing tooth decay or other dental problems, it may indicate the use of fluoride in the form of a mouthwash or rinse even before all the milk teeth emerge. Fluoride hardens tooth enamel and helps prevent tooth decay.
If you are looking for a children’s dental care clinic in Vaughan, look no further. Visit our website or call 416.835.5002 to book an appointment.