Our dental team places a strong emphasis on preventative care and education.
Commerce Dental and Orthodontics
903-246-4424
We will happily teach your child good oral practices and equip you with the necessary skills to clean and care for their teeth at home.
CHILDREN’S DENTISTRY
It’s important to establish good oral hygiene from an early age. This will set your child up with a lifetime of beneficial dental habits, and prevent early childhood caries and lay the foundation for optimal health throughout life.
At Commerce Dental and Orthodontics, we encourage children as young as 1 year of age to be brought along to the dentist; even if they’re not ready for a dental assessment. This helps your little one to become familiar with our dental environment and establishes a positive relationship with our dental team.
We recommend you arrange your child’s first dental assessment when their first tooth erupts. A consultation gives our Oral Therapist and dentists the opportunity to evaluate gum health, tooth progress and detect potential problems early on.
These consultations will become more thorough as your child grows in oral development and confidence. We will eventually monitor erupted teeth, jaw development, commence professional cleaning and apply fluoride treatments as needed.
Young Age Dental Care
Promoting Positive Dental Health from a Young Age
CHILD'S DENTAL CARE
Good oral hygiene habits and dental care start at a young age. Established early, positive lifestyle habits like regular brushing and flossing, coupled with periodic visits to the dentist, extend well into adulthood. Both the at-home as well as professional oral care regime is crucial for a child’s dental progress.
CHILD FIRST DENTAL VISIT
This is true even during the child’s formative years, at around 6-7 months, when the milk teeth start to arrive. In fact, many dentists recommend parents to bring their children in for their first dental visit at this early juncture. The purpose of the maiden visit is typically to familiarize the child with the clinical environment.
HEALTHY DENTAL HABITS
Teach your kids healthy dental habits – it will serve them a life of happy smilesWhen the child reaches two and half years of age, by which time all the primary teeth would usually have erupted, the dentist may begin fluoride treatments as the first line of defense against the development of cavities. The application of topical fluoride helps to protect the teeth against harmful acid from penetrating the outer enamel layer and causing tooth decay.
REGULAR DENTAL APPOINTMENT
Besides preventing tooth decay and cavities, regular dental visits are also essential for the diagnosis, prevention and treatment of other common childhood dental problems like gum disease, bite problems (malocclusions) and bad breath (halitosis). By scheduling regular dental check-up and cleaning sessions for your kids, you are really investing in the long-term health, function and beauty of your child’s smile – before it is too late, which may then require more patient-involved treatments.
Preventing Tooth Decay and Gum Disease for Children
Tooth decay is caused by sugar-feeding germs known as mutans streptococcus. When your child consumes too much sugary foods and drinks, their teeth attract the bacteria, which in turn, produce acids that destroy the teeth’s protective layer (enamel) by stripping away its calcium. Along with plaque – the yellowish film that sticks to teeth – the bacteria attacks the surface of the tooth, causing it to collapse and result in a cavity.
Most, if not all, children develop cavities – even though some may be more susceptible than others. This may occur at any part of the early stages of their dental development. This is why, in addition to monitoring their home oral care regime, it is vitally important to bring your child to see the dentist for regular check-ups and professional cleaning.
Bring your child to Commerce Dental and Orthodontics Dentist, we can help with their dental needs. During the comprehensive dental checks, the dentist would be able to detect the presence of plaque and tartar and administer proper cleaning techniques to remove them before they develop into cavities. Should the dentist detect early onset of small cavities, they can be treated using minimally invasive techniques like regular filling.
Another prevalent dental ailment affecting young children is that of gum disease. Gum disease refers to the inflammation of the gingiva or soft tissue surrounding the teeth. Similar to cavities, the inflammation is also caused by plaque and bacteria, when they grow and spread below the gum line. Left untreated, early-stage gum disease (gingivitis) can advance into periodontitis and severely damage your child’s tooth, thereby requiring extraction or leading to eventual tooth loss.
Your child’s best defence against gum disease is to go for regular dental checks. Early stage gum problems can be treated with minimally invasive methods, while delayed treatment may lead to complex dental procedures and even surgery.
TIPS FOR BETTER BRUSHING
Brushing your teeth thoroughly for two minutes twice a day, is an absolute must to effectively remove plaque and bad bacteria from your teeth.- Remember that your toothbrush should be replaced every three months to ensure you achieve an effective clean.
- Using a fluoride toothpaste while you brush will help to strengthen tooth enamel and prevent possible tooth decay.
- Furthermore, we recommend flossing at least once per day in order to remove leftover food debris that your toothbrush did not reach.
- Finally, using mouthwash will help eradicate any bacteria causing bad breath on tooth surfaces.
BRING YOUR CHILDREN IN FOR A CHECK-UP AT THE GRAND PRAIRIE DENTIST-IMPLANTS & BRACES
Contact us today to schedule a dental assessment for your child. Managing their teeth and alignment early can prevent future problems from occurring after their secondary set of teeth erupt. If your child is fearful or uncooperative, our specially trained team can quell their nerves or recommend gentle sedation dentistry. That way your child can receive the dental treatment they need in fewer visits.
WHAT AGE SHOULD I BRING MY CHILD TO SEE A DENTIST?
We believe at that it is if great importance in making your child’s first and future dental visits as positive and enjoyable as possible.
We recommend your child’s first dental visit be when they have their first baby tooth. Most children will have their baby teeth between 2-3 years of age. Around 18 months to 2 years is a good time to start to get your child comfortable with the dental environment.