Dental Cleanings in Lehi, UT
Dental Cleanings
Even though a child’s first set of teeth are only temporary, it’s important that they’re treated with the same care as adult teeth. This includes making sure to take your child for regular dental cleanings.
The main purpose of dental cleanings for children is to keep their baby teeth and gums healthy. Regular dental cleanings also provide an opportunity for the dentist to educate the child on good oral hygiene and to spot any potential issues at an early stage. Regular, positive dental visits create a lifetime of healthy oral care.
Dental cleanings for infants
Ideally, your child will start visiting the dentist from the age of one or 6 months from the time the first tooth erupts. This lets the dentist check their dental development. It also helps your child to get used to the idea of being at the dentist and to treat it as normal. From the age of about two, your child needs to have a dental cleaning about once every six months.
Dental cleanings for young children
Dental cleanings for young children are tailored to their age. Very young children may have too few teeth to need flossing. We will do a knee to knee exam with the parent and doctor to help the child have a positive visit. Then, of course, they will take with them a toy and new toothbrush.
Dental cleanings for older children
As children get older, the dental cleaning process will be more or less the same as it is for adults. They can expect to have their teeth flossed and for the dentist to clean any visible plaque.
Regular dental cleanings are hugely important for older children because they may not have the knowledge or motor skills to clean their teeth effectively themselves.
Using a good toothbrush can help a lot (your dentist can recommend one), but the child still needs to get it into all the grooves of their mouth by themselves. This can be very difficult for them. Flossing can also be a challenge, especially if children are still developing motor skills.
The practical difficulties involved in teeth cleaning leave children very much at risk of cavities and gum disease. These are not just expensive to treat, they can make it hard for your child to chew and/or speak properly. They can also hinder the development of their adult teeth. We recommend a parent or guardian help with the teeth brushing process until a child is old enough to get all the areas of their mouth clean on their own.
Dental cleanings educate children on good oral hygiene
Whatever age a child is, a dentist can use a dental cleaning session as an opportunity to give age-appropriate information about oral hygiene. They may also wish to check what dental hygiene products the child is regularly using at home and perhaps suggest alternatives.
Dental cleanings are an opportunity to check for dental issues
Although dental cleanings can help to prevent cavities and gum disease, it cannot prevent issues caused by the dental-development process. They can, however, provide an opportunity to check how a child’s teeth are developing, even before they’re visible above the surface of the gums.
