What Are the Most Common Parts of a Pediatric Dental Visit?
Posted on: 31 August 2018
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The pursuit of healthy teeth starts at a very young age. The early years of life are crucial to the proper development of teeth. Since the teeth are still developing, any negative factor can interfere with this development resulting in teeth that are damaged well into adulthood.
Many parents try to limit the risk of this by sticking to regularly scheduled visit to dentists. A new parent may not know what to expect from such a visit. However, there are a few things that are common when you visit a pediatric dentist.
Checking for Unseen or Unfelt Problems
This is one of the most important aspects of such visits. There are dental issues in children that may go unnoticed simply because nothing seems wrong and the child isn't in any pain. For example, the teeth may not be properly aligned or the permanent teeth (underneath the baby teeth) may not be developing correctly.
These problems can be managed better if they're detected early. One way that they can be detected early is by taking dental X-rays.
Checking for Cavities and Tooth Decay
The dentist will also check your child's teeth for any cavities and other signs of tooth decay. Decaying teeth can become painful at some point. Additionally, one decaying tooth can put the nearby teeth at a higher risk of decay. When tooth decay is spotted the dentist can take various measures including extraction. At this point, the dentist can also recommend corrective action to prevent further decay.
Checking for Periodontal Disease
Periodontal disease is one of the more serious dental problems your child can experience. This bacterial infection can damage gums and other tissues in the mouth. Sticky food, breathing through the mouth, unhealthy diets, bruxism and other factors can put your child at a high risk of contracting periodontal disease. As a result, the dentist will also check for signs of this disease such as gums that are red and sore, receding gums, persistent bad breath etc.
A Thorough Dental Cleaning
No visit to the dentist should be completed without a thorough cleaning. The teeth are cleaned, polished and rinse to remove plaque or tartar that might be accumulating. In addition to this, the child will also be instructed on how to go about cleaning their teeth every day. If the child is still too young to handle this on their own the parents will be told how to go about it.