5 Reasons Why Kids Should Get Their Teeth Cleaned Regularly

Here at North Calgary Pediatric Dentistry, we believe that regular dental checkups are an important part of your children’s oral health care. A trip to the dentist should happen at least twice a year, and even more if there are any signs of tooth decay or cavities starting to form. When you’re in doubt about getting your kids to the dentist frequently, here are five reasons why kids should get their teeth cleaned regularly.

Because it's important to

1. your child's overall health
2. maintain a healthy smile
3. combat future oral disease
4. prevent embarrassment and hygiene problems in school
5. save you money in the long run

Read more details below:

In addition to improving dental health, frequent dental cleanings have been found to reduce the risk of many other conditions such as heart disease, stroke, and diabetes. These results suggest that preventive dentistry is an effective way to improve overall health while minimizing patient discomfort.

Regular dental cleanings are a proven way to reduce cavities, but there are other benefits too. They can also reduce the risk for gum disease and tooth loss later in life by removing plaque from the teeth and getting rid of any unhealthy parts of the tooth. Getting regular checkups also helps to find problems before they become larger issues like broken teeth or infections.

Dr. Cameron Zealand at North Calgary Pediatric Dentistry:
"People often avoid brushing and flossing their teeth because it can be hard to reach in all the areas that need to be scrubbed, but oral care is definitely an important part of a healthy lifestyle. Not only does it help prevent cavities, tartar buildup, and tooth decay, but not taking care of your teeth also makes you more likely to develop gum disease. It's never too early or too late to start caring for your oral health! Our recommendation:Teach your children well to maintain a healthy smile."

Dental Fact: From 1992 to 2003, tooth decay increased in young children by 15%. This is largely due to the increase in sugary drinks (particularly fruit juices) among children and adolescents. More than 25% of children aged 3-6 have untreated cavities, while 42% of teenagers have at least one decayed or filled tooth surface in need of a filling or an extraction.

When untreated, cavities may develop and lead to pain, abscesses, tissue damage and other oral health problems as they grow. Leaving cavities untreated can also eventually lead to tooth loss in serious cases which can have repercussions for speech development, eating habits, and (important to mention) self-esteem issues that can result from tooth loss due to lack of treatment. Dental Fact: A simple dental cleaning visit twice a year can avoid all the issues mentioned above!

Kids spend a lot of time on the playground, and being embarrassed about having bad breath or ugly looking teeth can make them feel insecure and unhappy with their appearance. The embarrassment only increases when peers start making fun of them, which actually happens a lot.

Furthermore, if oral hygiene isn't maintained there are higher chances of kids dealing with health problems such as cavities and gum disease. As they enter their teenage years they can suffer from low self-esteem and depression, because teens already have enough to worry about growing up in a world where social pressure is increasingly affecting their mental health.

Dr. Cameron Zealand, pediatric dentist at North Calgary Pediatric Dentistry:
"Over the long term, oral health benefits can lead to significant savings on traditional dental visits and possible orthodontic treatment down the road. The cost of prevention will pay for itself by keeping your child from needing more serious treatment down the line. That's because poor oral health as a kid usually means poor oral health as an adult.

Poor oral healthcare can also lead to pain, complications and even life-threatening infections if left untreated. That's why regular cleanings are so important—to detect problems before they become a big deal. This is particularly true for young children who have more risk factors for early tooth decay like bottle feeding or use of a pacifier around bedtime.

If you have any more questions relating to kids oral hygiene and why they should come into our North Calgary Pediatric Dentistry office for regular cleanings, feel free to contact us at any time and we'll be happy to help!"