Common Infections That Are Preventable by Regular Dental Clinic Visits

Children and adults alike are prone to dental infections when they frequently neglect proper dental hygiene and visit the dentist for checkups and cleanings. Infections like cavities, gingivitis, periodontitis, and sensitive teeth affect everyone. If your young one maintains poor oral hygiene, you must take them to Shasta Kids Dentistry every six months for dental exams and cleanings.

The Realities about Dental and Oral Health

Common infections among children are cavities and gum disease. The WHO states nearly 60 to 90 percent of schoolchildren have at least one hole, and all adults have one dental cavity in their mouths. Gingivitis is prevalent among 15 to 20 percent of adults, and those between 35 to 44 have periodontitis. Globally 1 to 10 cases of oral cancer exist among people. The burden of dental infections is higher in poor and underprivileged groups.

Keeping teeth healthy is not a significant challenge either for adults or children. For example, dental and oral infections can be significantly reduced by brushing teeth with fluoride toothpaste two times a day, flossing your teeth at least once, limiting sugar intake, and seeking professional dental care. However, when children’s teeth are not attended by a dental professional, they can develop a lifetime of infections that affect their oral and overall health. Therefore as a parent, you must ensure your kid gets evaluated regularly by the pediatric dentist near me.

In Reality What Happens During a Dental Exam?

When you take your child for dental exams and cleanings in Redding, CA, the pediatric dentist closely examines their teeth, mouth, throat, tongue, cheeks, jaw, and neck. In addition, the dentist requests x-rays to detect cavities between your child’s teeth and in the posterior region of their mouths, where detecting tooth decay is challenging.

Pediatric dentists are qualified to verify the development of children’s jaws to detect any abnormalities that may affect the growth of their teeth. If they notice any signs of malocclusion or misalignment with the child’s teeth, they recommend orthodontic treatments to correct the issue and let your child have straight teeth and a beautiful smile.

The pediatric dentist performs dental exams, but the procedure doesn’t end with the exam. After evaluating your child’s mouth, the dentist allows the dental hygienist to take over and perform the cleaning process.

The Dental Cleaning

Dental cleaning is standard and is unlikely to scare your child. First, the hygienist checks for plaque and tartar build-up on your child’s teeth and around their gum line. Plaque and tartar are the leading causes of gum disease that can lead to tooth loss if left untreated. The hygienist uses a mirror and small instruments to look around the back of your child’s teeth to clean any plaque hardened into tartar. Your child may not like the scraping sounds, but it should be a good lesson for them to brush and floss carefully henceforth.

Hygienists also polish your child’s teeth with gritty toothpaste for excess plaque removal after cleaning their teeth. The polishing leaves your child with gleaming teeth and a beautiful smile. The hygienist then provides fluoride treatment to battle against cavities and checks the deep pits and fissures on their molars. Finally, they recommend dental sealants to ensure food particles and plaque don’t remain trapped in the molars to create cavities. At the end of the cleaning procedure, your child is rewarded with a gift for staying quiet during the entire dental cleaning and exam.

Common Dental Infections

The dentist in Redding, CA, frequently receives patients complaining about tooth decay, cavities, gum disease, et cetera. Most infections are entirely preventable by maintaining proper dental hygiene and visiting dental offices once every six months for exams and cleanings. Unfortunately, many people allow dental infections to progress until it is too late and require invasive treatments like root canals and even tooth extraction.

Children visiting pediatric dentists regularly receive help from professionals to keep their oral health in optimal condition. The dentist educates them on how they should brush and floss their teeth, stay away from frequent snacking and beverages and report any dental issue affecting them immediately to ensure they receive treatment promptly.

Dental exams and cleanings enable your child to receive preventive care advice on caring for their teeth to avoid common dental infections to keep their oral and oral health in excellent condition.