Dentistry for kids requires a gentle approach. At West 14 Dental in Saskatoon we aim to provide kids with a fun and comfortable experience that can create a positive association in their minds when it comes to dental visits.
This is achieved by decorating our office with bright, cheerful colors and pictures and filling it with toys and books that are designed to entertain your children.
What is Dentistry for Kids?
Children’s dentistry is generally a field that focuses on providing treatment to children from birth to high school.
Children are important at West 14 Dental! A child’s dental care is central to their health and emotional well being as they grow older. Our dental services focus on children from birth through adolescence. During these formative years, it’s critical for your child to be comfortable with their dentist and hygiene team.
The West 14 Dental team will help you maintain your child’s oral health. Our team will happily work alongside both the parent and the child to teach proper techniques while brushing, flossing, and using fluoride.
When Should You Take Your Child to a Children’s Dentist in Saskatoon?
We recommend that you should take your child to their first dental appointment when they turn six months old or when their first baby tooth emerges. During this time, the focus is not on treatment but on acclimatizing your child to the dental office. At this time, we may also educate parents on:
- Baby bottle dental decay
- Infant feeding practices
- Baby mouth cleaning
- Teething and use of pacifiers
- Finger or thumb sucking
After the first visit, you will be advised to bring your child to see our dentists every six months. By the time your child is three, they will be having full comprehensive dental appointments. At five years of age, we will start taking x-rays of your child’s mouth if the child is ready.
Your child’s first visits will last 30 to 45 minutes. Depending on your child’s age, the appointment may involve a full dental checkup to check the growth and development of their mouth.
Sometimes, we may recommend a visit every three months. This can build familiarity, comfort, and confidence in your child and help us keep an eye on any developing dental issues.
You should also start teaching your child how to floss their teeth to get rid of food and debris caught between teeth by age four. By the time they turn eight, most kids will have learned how to floss on their own.
Always Focus on the Positive
The health of your child’s baby teeth directly relates to the health of their permanent teeth. So don’t wait for a cavity to develop before you take your child to see a kids’ dentist in Saskatoon. Keeping regular dental checkups will allow us to monitor your child’s dental health and help prevent future issues from developing.
However, if you do wait long enough for a dental issue to arise, your child’s dental visit can still be focused on positive aspects. We will explain to your child that the painful tooth needs to be fixed and will show them how to prevent other teeth from having the same problem. A small reward at the end of the appointment will help your children look forward to their next dental visit.
It’s important that parents do not threaten their children with the fear of dentists to prevent them from eating too many sweets. If you do that, it can make your child fear their next dental visit. This anxiety can follow them to adulthood and can result in negative repercussions for their oral health.
If you have a young child who is due for their first dental appointment or if your children have been missing their routine appointments, give us a call now at +1-306-933-2114 , and get your child’s dental needs taken care of by our friendly dental team in Saskatoon.