Going to a dentist's office is an important part of caring for your health and that of your family members. You should visit a family dentist more often than just when you have a sore tooth. If you're not sure about when you or a loved one ought to go to the dentist, here are four times it is likely a good idea.

Regularly Scheduled Checkups

It's a good idea to go to a dentist's office about once every 6 months. This will give the doctor a chance to see if anything problematic has appeared. Likewise, it's an opportunity for a hygienist to perform teeth cleaning if it proves necessary.

For kids, following this same schedule helps to acclimate them to being around a dentist. This will serve to reduce anxiety and generate familiarity. When they need to have a doctor perform a dental procedure, they'll be used to the experience.

First Tooth

There are several reasons you'll want to contact a family dentist when a child's first tooth comes in. First, they can help you address any discomfort or pain the kid may experience during the process. Second, they can tell you about oral care for little ones. Third, they can make sure new teeth are properly cleaned if they have any stains or plaque on them.

Finally, a family dentist can check if there are any growth issues with a kid's teeth. How the dental sockets line up in these early years is important. If a child is likely to have problems that might lead to, for example, getting braces, you want to know that right away.

Permanent Molars Appear

A kid gets their first permanent molars around age 6 and their second ones around age 12. These are critical to their lifelong ability to chew food, and you want to be sure they'll be in good shape. Uneven molars can create problems that may encourage tooth decay into their teen or adult years.

What people sometimes called wisdom teeth are also molars. This last set, if it emerges, usually appears in the late teens. They can create crowding in the mouth, and it's common for a doctor to extract them as a pre-emptive measure.

Signs of Oral Health Issues

Especially when it comes to young kids with baby teeth, some folks are tempted to assume that a decayed tooth will fall out and be replaced by an adult tooth. If a kid has evidence of decay on a tooth, schedule an appointment at a dentist's office. You don't want to risk damaging the permanent tooth coming in behind it.

For more information, contact a local family dentist.

Share