Troy Pediatric Dentist Answers Questions About Dental Care Specifically For Children

Written by Dr. Bentley on Aug 23, 2016

Pediatric dental care can help your child stay healthy and achieve his or her dental goals. Today our Troy dentists are answering patient questions about dental care for children. Read through the quick Q & A below, and, of course, if you have additional questions you can always contact our dental team!

Q: How often are children supposed to go to the dentist’s office?

A: The American Dental Association recommends that children complete professional dental cleanings every six months or so. If your child has specific, ongoing oral health needs he or she may need to come in more frequently—your dentist will let you know.

Q: I thought that children lose their teeth, anyway? Why do they need to follow the same dental health guidelines as adults?

A: This is a great question! There are actually a number of reasons to help your children preserve healthy primary teeth. First of all, keep in mind that oral infection that begin in the teeth can actually spread throughout the patient’s oral tissues. So, you want to help your child avoid dental infections that could not only damage their teeth but their gum tissues and jawbone tissues as well. Also, it is in your child’s best interest to retain his or her primary teeth until they fall out naturally. Primary teeth help your child develop healthy speech patterns, chew new foods and his expand his or her diet, and preserve space along the gum line for his or her permanent teeth to emerge.

Q: I’ve heard that kids aren’t supposed to use dental products with fluoride—is this true?

A: In general, very young children should not use toothpastes or mouthwashes with fluoride. Here’s why: young children are still developing their permanent teeth underneath their gum tissue. If a child ingests large amounts of fluoride his or her permanent teeth may develop with dental fluorosis—this manifests as discoloration and pits and grooves in the dental surface. So, until your child is able to brush his or her teeth without swallowing toothpaste, he or she should be using a fluoride-free formula.

Our Troy dental team is here to demystify all things pediatric dentistry—give us a call for more information!