How Often Should Children Have Dental Checkups?

As parents, we often ask ourselves, "how often should children have dental checkups?" It's a crucial question to ensure the optimal oral health of our little ones. At Harmony Pediatric Dentistry & Orthodontics, we're here to guide you through this important aspect of your child's health and wellness journey.

How Often Should Children Have Dental Checkups?

The American Dental Association recommends that children should start visiting the dentist as soon as their first tooth appears, or no later than their first birthday. After this initial visit, children should have dental checkups every six months. However, depending on your child's oral health, the dentist might recommend more frequent visits.

Understanding the Importance of Regular Dental Checkups

Routine pediatric dental exams every 6 months are imperative for monitoring growth/development stages, preventing problems, and ingraining conscientious at-home preventive care. Catching decay and gum inflammation early enables minimally invasive treatment, while motivating proper daily brushing and flossing through positive reinforcement if needed. Establishing a customized hygiene regimen catered to little mouths as permanent teeth emerge builds a foundation of knowledge on curtailing candy/soda, the necessity of losing baby teeth on schedule, using correct toothpaste concentrations, and visiting dentists regularly thereafter for healthy smiles life-long.

What to Expect During Your Child's Dental Checkup

During a dental checkup, the dentist will clean your child's teeth, check for cavities, and assess how well their teeth are developing. They may also apply a fluoride treatment to protect against decay. If necessary, the dentist might recommend further treatments like fillings, orthodontics, or other preventive measures.

The Role of Parents in Children's Oral Health

As a parent, you play a big role in keeping your kid's teeth and gums healthy. There's a lot of small things you can do each day to prevent problems. Brush and floss your own teeth the right way so your kids see good habits. Try to limit how many sweets or sodas they eat and drink since that stuff harms teeth. Make sure they wear a mouth guard when playing sports so their teeth don't get knocked out or cracked. 

Most of all, take them to the dentist every 6 months! Even if their teeth seem fine. Checking for tiny problems early on and fixing them prevents worse issues later. Going to the dentist regularly also shows kids that caring for teeth is important. When they grow up, they'll remember what you taught them. If you help them care for their smile properly now while they're young, their beautiful smile will stay healthy for life! As a parent, you have the power to set them up for success.

Schedule Your Child's Dental Checkup Today!

Understanding how often children should have dental checkups is the first step towards ensuring their oral health. At Harmony Pediatric Dentistry & Orthodontics, Dr. Maddy Goodman & Dr. Heather Sholander are committed to providing exceptional dental care for your children. We invite you to schedule your child's dental checkup today by calling us at (301) 664-4220. We're conveniently located in Bethesda, MD, and are excited to welcome your family to ours. Don't wait - your child's healthy, bright smile is just a phone call away!