When You Should Take Your Child to a Dentist Between Routine Appointments
Regular dental check-ups are an essential part of your child's health care, and you should start taking them to a children's dentist as soon as that first tooth starts to appear. As long as you keep up with your child's regular appointments, it's the best thing you can do to ensure their teeth and gums stay healthy.
Sometimes, though, things happen that mean you should see a dentist in between routine check-ups. As an adult, you'll usually know when you need to go for your own teeth, but it can be more difficult to tell with your child.
Although you should always use your judgement and book an appointment whenever anything seems amiss, here are some of the common reasons to take your child to the dentist.
They're not getting the hang of brushing
You should always supervise your child brushing their teeth until you're confident they've learned to do it properly. This can take a while, and many children don't quite get it until they're as old as eight.
If your child doesn't seem to be getting it, however, you can see your dentist for advice. There are suggestions they can make to help your child, and maybe different products that can make it easier.
Their teeth don't seem to be developing normally
If your child hasn't started growing their first teeth by the time they're a year old, it's a good idea to have a dentist take a look. It's probably nothing to worry about, but having a professional check things out will give you peace of mind.
Similarly, if the child's adult teeth don't start coming through by the time they turn eight, it's worth getting them checked out.
There's teeth grinding or excessive thumb sucking
Children grind their teeth for all sorts of reasons, but it's not usually too frequent, and it tends to stop as quickly as it began. If it seems excessive and you're worried, make an appointment with your child's dentist.
Many children suck their thumbs when they're small, and they normally grow out of it. If they're still doing it when they turn five and it seems to be a lot of the time, a dentist should check it's not affecting the alignment of their teeth.
They've been through a period of having a bad diet
One of the best things you can do for your child's teeth is to severely limit sugar in their diet, which goes a long way towards preventing tooth decay.
If your child has recently had a lot of sweets or sugary soft drinks, you should make their next dentist appointment early, just to make sure there's no damage.
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