Regular dental visits are as important for children as they are for adults. While many of the reasons are different, the recommendation for appointments every six months is the same no matter what a patient’s age. Here’s why routine dental visits are needed for even our littlest patients.
Regular Visits Create Good Habits
Childhood habits carry into adulthood, so teaching children how to take care of their teeth now will help lay the foundation for a lifetime of good oral health. During pediatric dental visits, we will provide your child with oral care instructions to help them learn proper brushing and flossing techniques. When they get used to coming in for checkups every six months, it becomes an expected routine—something they just know they need to do regularly, no different from getting a haircut or going for annual physicals at the doctor’s office.
It’s also important for kids to come in regularly because it helps foster a relationship between dentist and child. When children trust their dentist and learn that going to the dentist’s office is a positive experience, they’re less likely to have anxiety surrounding necessary preventive and restorative procedures.
Preventive Care Saves Money and Time
An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure and that’s certainly true when it comes to pediatric dentistry. Some people are of the opinion that since baby teeth are meant to fall out anyway, regular dental visits aren’t as important for children. This simply isn’t the case—baby teeth that have suffered decay need fillings just like adult teeth and the health of baby teeth impacts long-term oral health too.
By bringing your child to our office for regular checkups, we can prevent problems before they start. When a child’s teeth don’t receive proper care, they may need lengthy, costly restorative treatments.
Frequent Visits Are Easier Visits
When we see our patients every six months, the visits are easy. The children know our team and have very little anxiety; because their teeth are well-maintained, dental cleanings are faster and more comfortable.
What we see with children who don’t come in often is a cycle of anxiety—these children are nervous about their dental visits and because they have more plaque and tartar, their visits are longer. This creates a negative association; they feel anxious about coming in for their next visit, so their parents put it off. The only way to break this cycle is to make those regular appointments and not skip them. The more your child sees us, the more comfortable they’ll be with our team and with the process of getting their teeth cleaned.
Schedule a Routine Dental Exam for Your Child
Whether your child has never been to the dentist before or it’s simply time to check in with us, we’d love to see you at our pediatric dental practice. To make an appointment with Dr. McGuire, contact us today at 908-735-6300.