Giving Your Child A Healthier Smile For Life

by Nick Thomas braces

Parents always want to give their children the best things in life. From being able to afford the latest trends for clothing to ensure they have proper healthcare, the role of being a parent can seem never-ending. One aspect that can sometimes be overlooked is our kid's smile. While many parents do focus on getting children into seeing the dentist for routine cleanings, many think it is unnecessary or that skipping cleanings is fine.

Because we have two sets of teeth, our primary and our adult teeth, it can feel somewhat repetitive to care for the baby teeth. After all, they will be replaced at some point with adult teeth, and those are the ones we should care about, right? But this couldn't be further from reality. Caring for your child's baby teeth is just as crucial as the grown-up teeth for a few reasons.

Teeth come and go at a pretty regular interval. Most will see a developing front tooth by the time they are nine months old or at least by one-year-old. While the baby teeth have a set time where they come in, they also have a time span at which they last. Some children can go longer, others shorter, but keeping them in for as long as possible can significantly improve their oral health for life.

Starting your kid off right by trips to the dentist every six months is the best thing you can do. Your dentist will monitor for changes in their bone structure, whether teeth are coming in crooked and would benefit from braces and much more. Most dentists will recommend that every child see an orthodontist by the time they are seven, especially if they are showing signs of bite problems, including gaps, crossbites, and overbites. These can affect eating and speech, as well as play a huge role in how they feel about themselves and their confidence.

Getting your child in the best habits for caring for their teeth will go along way. Make sure they are brushing and FLOSSING daily to ensure the best health of their teeth and gums. Visiting the dentist twice a year is optimal, with x-rays done annually. Even if you don't have dental insurance, cleanings aren't as expensive as you might think and can mean a world of difference for your child and their oral health.