February is National Children's Dental Health Month. This month, dentists across America remind families of the importance of instilling effective dental hygiene habits early in childhood. You set your child up for success when you take steps to ensure their oral health, even before their teeth appear from below the gums. The experienced dentists at Aspenwood Dental Associates provide personalized guidance for each young patient who visits our practice. We create a warm, welcoming environment so young ones develop a positive association with visiting our office. Please arrange your family's next appointments by calling us in Aurora at 303-751-3321.
Top Tips for Improving Your Child's Dental Health
The measures you take at home to prevent tooth decay and promote good dental health are essential to your child's well-being. During a dental checkup, our dentists look for signs of dental problems and monitor your child's developing teeth and jaws, but we need your help to maintain their oral health at home. Here are some ways to do so:
- Assist your child as they learn to brush their teeth; teach the 2x2 rule, which is to brush two times per day, for two minutes at a time
- Continue to help your child with brushing until they've developed the manual dexterity to do it on their own
- For young children, use a pea-sized amount of fluoride toothpaste to reduce the likelihood of them ingesting the toothpaste
- Lead by example: Take good care of your own teeth to set an example for your kids to follow
- Limit sugary and/or highly processed snacks; instead, provide snacks like cheese and crackers, sliced fresh vegetables and hummus, or fresh fruit
- Limit soda (consider making it available only on special occasions) because it is a major contributor to tooth decay
We’ll provide pointers customized to your child’s age, dental health and development after we’ve met them and performed an initial checkup. We are personally driven to support our patients’ lifelong smiles, and that starts with routine visits to our practice.
Why Pediatric Dental Care is So Important
The potential for decay arises as soon as the first tooth or first teeth appear from the gum line. Generally this occurs between 6 months to 1 year of age. Tooth decay is also preventable, which is why it's so important to clean children's teeth. Even though they'll eventually lose those teeth, you don't want them to have to go through the process of getting a filling if you can prevent it. The baby teeth also hold the place for the permanent teeth, so keeping them healthy better ensures proper jaw development and a healthy smile in the future.
Schedule Your Child's Next Dental Checkup in Aurora, Colorado
At Aspenwood Dental Associates and Colorado Dental Implant Center, our experienced family dentists provide comprehensive dental services for your youngest to your eldest. We're ready to answer any questions you may have about your children's dental health. We're also ready to schedule your next cleaning and checkup. To contact us, please call our helpful staff in the Denver area at 303-751-3321.