What’s Different About Caring for Kids’ Smiles?

What’s Different About Caring for Kids’ Smiles?

November 15, 2019

The quest to keep your smile healthy begins early in life, which is why it’s so important to teach young children the basics of good hygiene as early as possible. However, there’s more to keeping young smiles healthy than just learning to brush and floss teeth properly. In addition to good hygiene, children need regular professional care and attention to ensure that common threats, such as plaque and tartar, are kept under control. They also need their dentists to keep a close eye on their oral health and development, and to recommend conservative treatment options should any issues arise.

Setting the basics of good oral health

Because good oral health and hygiene are lifelong efforts, the most important part of children’s dental health care is to help them set good habits. In addition to your lessons at home, we help make learning about brushing and flossing teeth, staying away from excessive sugar, and other good hygiene habits fun! Our goal is to create an environment where children feel comfortable visiting us, and where they learn more about keeping their smiles healthy every time they visit.

Treatments designed for children’s teeth

With a strong focus on education, we can help give kids the knowledge they need to care for their smiles at home. However, we also emphasize the importance of sticking to a schedule of preventive checkups and cleanings at least twice a year. Professional cleaning is necessary to remove any traces of plaque and tartar (calcified plaque) that your child has missed, which helps prevent issues like tooth decay and cavities from forming. We can also thoroughly check your child’s teeth for signs of existing issues and recommend conservative treatments, such as:

  • Dental sealants – Cavities are the most common threat to your child’s teeth, and they form when oral bacteria gather and calcify on their teeth surfaces. Dental sealants are thin, clear layers of biocompatible acrylic that we can apply the chewing surfaces of your child’s teeth, which prevents food particles and bacteria from gathering within the crevices.
  • Fluoride treatment – Fluoride treatment is designed to naturally strengthen the healthy enamel that protects your child’s teeth by bonding to its mineral strands. Made almost entirely of minerals, enamel is the main defense against harmful oral bacteria, but can be eroded when too many bacteria gather on your child’s teeth. With fluoride, we can help strengthen this protection and reduce your child’s risks of developing cavities.

Learn more about children’s dental care

Caring for children’s smiles compassionately and in a comfortable environment is key to preparing them for a lifetime of healthy, beautiful smiles. To learn more, schedule an appointment by calling Yelena Popkova D.D.S. in Merrimack, NH, today at 603-595-9400. We also serve the residents of Nashua, Hudson, Manchester, Milford, and all surrounding communities.

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