Many people recognize February for different reasons—Valentine’s day usually dominates the holiday’s this month. Or maybe your anniversary is this month. But did you know that February is Children’s Dental Health Awareness Month? That’s right! This month is dedicated to improving little one’s smiles by starting their dental health care journey’s early on! Learn more from your children’s dentist in McKinney.
How Old Should My Child Be Before They Receive Professional Dental Care?
There’s a misconception that baby teeth aren’t as important to care for as a child’s permanent, adult teeth that come in later in life. This couldn’t be further from the truth. The more attentive you are to your child’s smile early on helps to establish a solid foundation for your child’s adult teeth to develop into correctly.
That’s why your dentist—and the American Dental Association (ADA)—recommends that you bring your child in to visit their pediatric dentist as soon as their first teeth develop. If they turn one year old before their first tooth develop, be sure to bring them by your dental practice by their first birthday.
Start Great Dental Health at Home
Your dentist will help you to care for your little one’s teeth in our office and also offer helpful advice for keeping their smile’s strong at home. Here are some helpful tips to optimize your child’s dental health from your own home:
- If your child doesn’t have teeth yet, you can massage their gums with a damp cloth and your finger. Get them familiar with someone working in their mouth so that when you do introduce real brushing or take them to visit the dentist, it doesn’t come as a shock.
- Brush your child’s teeth with a soft toothbrush and just water while they are young. Once they can spit on their own, add children’s toothpaste to their dental hygiene routine.
- Instill good flossing habits as soon as two of their teeth develop next to each other.
- Monitor your child’s brushing habits as they get older and begin caring for their teeth on their own. They should still be brushing twice a day and flossing at least once a day!
It’s best to trust a dental professional with your loved one’s smiles. You can partner with your local dentist by scheduling your little one’s first appointment today!
About Our Office
Here at Oakbrook Dental & Orthodontics, we didn’t want February to pass us by without drawing attention to how critical children’s dentistry is! Children’s dental health helps to lay the foundation to healthy teen and adult smiles—and we’re here to help you. Contact us today to schedule your child’s next dental visit with our friendly office team.