Going to the dentist has never been enjoyable, especially for children. In fact, a trip to the dentist is more likely to conjure up terrifying images in their minds.
However, regular visits to the dentist are incredibly important for their long-term dental health. Ironically, this can also help mitigate their fears about the dentist. Today, pediatric dentists in Lehi, Utah, are well-prepared to deal with children and to get them to bear a trip to the dentist.
Here are some benefits to having your children visit the dentist regularly:
1. Make sure your child's teeth are growing healthily.
A dentist's job is to make sure that the gums are healthy and the teeth are growing properly. This means making sure that your child's bite — or the way the top and bottom teeth line up — allows for proper chewing. If there are any problems, it is best to have them detected right away so that you may see a specialist to fix possible issues with the gums and teeth.
Of course, a dentist must also check for any cavities, or holes, in the teeth. If cavities are not addressed early on, they might lead to tooth decay, which can cause great pain for your child and affect his or her ability to eat properly.
Dentists also offer fluoride treatments that will strengthen your child's teeth and prevent cavities. Moreover, pediatric dentists have fluoride treatments in kid-friendly flavors like strawberry and bubblegum. This can help make their experience at the dentist more enjoyable as well.
2. Educate your child on proper dental hygiene.
Even though you tell them to brush their teeth every night and morning, children can be quite stubborn, especially if they do not like brushing their teeth in the first place. Hence, despite your advice, they may have to be forced into brushing their teeth regularly — or worse, skip brushing their teeth altogether.
Sometimes, it takes another person who is not a parental figure to remind them of why brushing their teeth regularly is important. If your child's dentist regularly encourages and follows up on tooth brushing and flossing, there is a greater chance your child will be less resistant to pick up the habit. Once they do, you will have to nag them about it again.
3. Remove a child's fear of visiting the dentist.
Normally, when children get called in for a visit to an adult in authority, it is because they have done something wrong. Their fears are further compounded once they see the various scary-looking tools in a dentist's office. Hence, many children come to fear and dread visiting the dentist, even as they grow older.
Regular visits to the dentist, starting from a young age, help dispel these fears. By taking them to the dentist simply for routine check-ups, you are reinforcing the idea that visiting the dentist is normal and that there is nothing to be afraid of. They also learn the importance of regular check-ups, which is a great habit to keep for the rest of their lives.
Like all good habits, it is best to start your kids young when it comes to regular dental check-ups. Once they pick up the habit, it is sure to help them lead healthier, happier lives. In their old age, when teeth begin to fall, they will be thankful for the strong teeth they acquired thanks to those visits to the dentist many years ago.
