Dental Cleaning for Kids
Preventive dental care at our Greensboro practice is intended to help children develop and maintain excellent oral health for life. Good habits, established early, are the key to avoiding painful and costly oral disease.
Preparing for a lifetime of smiles
Childhood oral health is a team effort, including your family and our pediatric dental team. As a child grows, he or she begins to take responsibility for good habits, and eventually for coordination of dental care. However, for the first few years you are the primary protector of your child’s oral health.
How can you keep that little smile healthy and pain-free?
- Oral hygiene should begin at birth. Clean your baby’s gums gently with a soft, damp cloth.
- As soon as you see a tooth emerge, it’s time to schedule the first dental appointment. It is also time to start brushing. Choose a toothbrush designed for infants, with soft bristles and a small head.
- Avoid giving your baby a bottle with sugary liquids, including milk or juice, at nap/bedtime. This practice is a leading cause of infant cavities, hence the common term “baby bottle decay.”
- When your child has teeth that are touching, it is time to introduce flossing to the routine.
- You can begin by using fluoride free toothpaste until your child is old enough to effectively spit out. Just a small amount, similar to a grain of rice, is sufficient unless your dentist has recommended otherwise. Most children are able to spit effectively by age four
- Once he or she is old enough to begin brushing, be sure to choose a soft bristle toothbrush with a handle that is easy for small hands to grip.
- An adult should oversee oral hygiene until third or fourth grade, or whenever you dentist suggests the child is effectively brushing and flossing.
Dr. Sona J. Isharani, DDS, believes that prevention is the best medicine. That is why we encourage parents to schedule regular oral health exams for their children. If your little one hasn’t seen a dentist recently, call us at (336) 804-8668 for an appointment.
