Bring Your Child to the Dentist Before School Starts Again!

Bring Your Child to the Dentist Before School Starts Again!

Aug 09, 2017
If you have an active family life, summer can be a very hectic time filled with cookouts, camping trips, beach excursions, and all sorts of fun in the sun. Before you know it, it is time to send the kids back to school. When you are in vacation mode, it can be difficult to start thinking about school preparation. But you don’t want to wait until the last minute to schedule your child’s back to school dental exam.

Why is a back-to-school check-up important?

Schedule a dental appointment to help set the pace for a successful school year. Kids with poor oral health have been shown to miss almost three times more school days than their classmates’ due to dental issues. These absences can result in poor performance. Regular dental checkups with a pediatric dentist in Calgary will allow for preventative services and early detection. This way, your child may avoid painful dental problems and not have to miss classes. In addition, a back-to-school dental exam can help set your child’s healthy dental routine back on track, after the laid-back summer months. Many kids let their usual oral care habits lapse once they are off the clock.

What Is Involved in A Regular Dental Checkup?

Your pediatric dentist will screen your child’s overall dental health. The dentists will look for teeth alignment issues, and determine if orthodontic services are needed. Are the baby teeth falling out as expected, and are the primary teeth erupting without incident? Kids don’t need x-rays at every regular dental checkup, but they are often included in a back-to-school dental exam. This allows your pediatric dentist to see below the surface and determine if your child’s teeth and roots are healthy. X-rays also serve as a visual check for decay that cannot be seen with the naked eye.
  • Professional Teeth Cleaning – Even kids with the most diligent at-home dental care still fail to remove all the harmful plaque that can lead to cavities. A professional dental cleaning is a vital part of a back-to-school checkup.  It removes the plaque, tartar, and bacteria to keep kid’s gums healthy and remove teeth stains.
  • Sealant Treatment – A dental sealant is a clear, protective coating applied to the chewing surface of back teeth.
Sealants add an effective layer of anti-cavity protection because the coating prevents bacteria and food debris from accumulating in deep teeth grooves and crevices. Kids should have sealants applied once their permanent molars start to erupt.

Sports Guards

The new school year also means ‘tis the season for youth sports. It is important for kids who participate in school sports to always wear a protective mouth guard. Your pediatric dentist in Calgary can make a custom fit sports guard for your child. A professionally-made orthotic will fit properly and feel more comfortable than an over the counter mouth guard. Schedule your child’s back-to-school dental exam today, then lay back and enjoy the remainder of summer knowing your little scholar will head back to school with a healthy smile.