How Many Times a Year Should a Child Go to the Dentist?
It can be challenging for you to know how much dental care your little one needs. It is normal to have a million and one questions about how your kid’s development. Almost any parent “worries” about their kid’s well-being. That’s why many parents wonder how often their kids should seek pediatric dentistry in Chicago. Also, another point of concern is when the first dental visit should be.
Your kid’s oral health is a vital component of their overall health. If their teeth are to serve them for an entire lifetime, then you have to care for those tiny pearly whites. You need to brace yourself for dental visits since they might take at least ten trips to our dentist’s office before they start going to school.
When You Need to Start
Your kid’s dental visit begins with their first tooth. Don’t wait for dental issues to cascade so you can bring your kid to our dentist in Berwyn. In fact, many dental issues can be avoided if you lay the proper dental foundation.
However, it is vital to note that caring for your kid’s teeth begins before their first visit. Their dental journey will begin before any tooth emerges. Your kid is born with 20 primary or milk teeth under their gums, which begin to emerge as from six months after birth. But before these teeth erupt, their gums need care.
You will have to clean their gums using a damp washcloth to wash away bacteria that has coated them after every feeding session. When those tiny pearly whites begin to emerge, brush them with a soft toothbrush and plain water.
After their teeth have come in, their dental journey has begun. You have the option of bringing them in for a checkup. We recommend that your child visits our dentist when their first tooth emerges or before their first birthday.
How Often Should Your Kid Visit the Dentist?
After your kid’s first dental visit, you might wonder when their next one should be scheduled. But it is vital to consider the following factors when deciding on the frequency with which your child will visit our dentist:
- Regular Dental Care for Your Kid
It is recommended that your kid should visit our dentist once every six months. During these visits, our dentist can carry out the necessary procedures, including a dental exam, cleaning, fluoride treatment, etc.
If your kid is examined and our dentist finds no issues, it doesn’t give you the green light not to bring them for checkups for another 12 months. If you miss an appointment, it means that your kid will go for a year without a checkup, and you know that a lot happens in a year. In other words, essential dental hygiene issues can go unchecked, such as hidden cavities, tooth decay, and gum inflammation.
- Your Child Has Recurring Oral Hygiene Issues
As you know by now that regular dental visits every six months are recommended for maintaining good oral health. However, for the kids experiencing recurring dental issues such as gum inflammation, tooth decay, and cavities, we recommend you visit our dentist every three months.
Recurring dental issues can be an issue for children who only get a feel of dental habits. So, their teeth need to be cared for before their adult teeth come in because it will be bad if these teeth arrive in an unhealthy environment.
Also, the primary teeth make space for the eventual arrival of their permanent teeth. Thus, caring for these teeth, even though it will be after every three months, will be a good idea.
In Closing
Your kid needs to visit our children’s dentist near you after their first teeth emerge. From ages one to two, dental visits might be more irregular as more teeth erupt. But you should begin taking your kid to the dentist‘s office every six months when they hit two.
When your kid is between four and six years, they can be ready for X-rays to check for cavities and other issues that might be challenging to diagnose. In any case, at this age, your child should be on a twice-yearly schedule if they manage their oral health. However, if they have recurring oral health issues, then they will need to visit the dentist after every three months.
If you have any more concerns, contact us at Lawn Dental Center, and we would love to help you.