Children are very susceptible to sickness and disease; since their immune systems are still developing, it’s crucial to care for all aspects of their health. Unlike adults who already know how to care for and maintain our bright smiles, children need more guidance when it comes to oral health. One common problem children often struggle with is poor oral health. In today’s article, we’ll discuss why pediatric dentists are essential for children’s oral health and their role in ensuring optimal oral development to prevent oral concerns.
The sensitivities of childhood: children and their unique oral needs.
Compared to adults, children’s dental needs are significantly different from adults. As mentioned above, they’re still developing, which means they’re prone to suffering certain oral issues that need specialized care. Here’s where pediatric dentists come in; these dental healthcare professionals possess the knowledge and skills to address such concerns along with the following:
Early detection and treatment of oral issues. Going to the dentist can be a pretty nerve-wracking experience for children, with many children even admitting to how scared they are of the dentist. This is why it’s crucial to choose a dentist like Eaglemont Dentists, who are known for practicing extra care and consideration for the little ones. It’s important to have your kids checked regularly by the pediatric dentist so they can see if there are any potential dental concerns, like cavities or misaligned teeth, that they can look out for. Early intervention saves not only children from suffering any pain and discomfort but also the parents and guardians from paying expensive treatment costs.
Prevention of Early Childhood Caries (ECC). One of the most alarming oral conditions among children is ECC, wherein if it’s left unchecked and untreated, it could lead to tooth decay or worse, tooth loss. Aside from teaching the proper way to care for their teeth, pediatric dentists can also educate the parents on proper feeding and dental practices.
Teach proper oral habits and practices. One of the best ways to avoid cavities and other oral problems is to practice good oral habits. Pediatric dentists can break down complex topics into something more digestible for kids to process, so they put more importance on their dental healthcare. Childhood is one of the most delicate stages since children also tend to develop oral habits like thumb-sucking or teeth-grinding. Although generally harmless, these could grow worse, which makes it crucial to have these checked by pediatric dentists so they can be assessed.
Pediatric dentists: providing healthcare beyond cavity prevention.
Many people think that cavity prevention and dental healthcare are the only responsibilities of pediatric dentists; their roles are much more complex than that.
They help address speech development issues. Many speech problems are actually rooted in poor oral health, like misaligned teeth or tongue-tied. This is why it’s important for pediatric dentists to check your child for such issues so they can collaborate with a speech therapist to help treat them.
They monitor the children’s growth and development. We cannot stress enough the fragility of a child’s development, and each of them is unique on their own. Many children grow up with perfectly healthy and aligned teeth, but others are not that fortunate and require frequent trips and treatment to the dentist.
At the end of the day, having your kids checked regularly by the pediatric dentist yields great benefits. Not only are you ensuring that your child’s oral health is optimal, but you also save the extra expenses for costly treatments.
