For your child, going back to school means reconnecting with friends. It means finding their place to shine. With a bright, healthy smile, they can feel more confident and unashamed to show their beautiful teeth. At Health Centered Dentistry, our back-to-school checkups set your child on a path to meeting the social and academic challenges every child faces. Here’s what you need to know.
Schedule your child’s back-to-school checkup today at Health Centered Dentistry!
Why Children Need a Back-to-School Checkup
A home with children is a busy home. It’s easy to get caught up in daily struggles and joys. And it’s easy to forget or put off important things that you only do occasionally. If your child’s teeth seem healthy, dental care might seem like something you can do later, when things aren’t so rushed. Yet, if you don’t have a time set apart for oral health, you might find yourself putting it off indefinitely. Choosing the time around the start of school can help you remember it every year without fail.
Bringing your child to the dentist every year at the start of school gives you a specific time to address oral health issues. If your child’s teeth are healthy, they can get a cleaning and start the year feeling great about their smile. If the dentist discovers tooth decay or other issues with their teeth, they can take care of those now, before they get worse. What’s more, your child can start school with a different attitude – an attitude of confidence.
Dealing with issues that arise between dental visits is also an excellent way to keep dental costs as low as possible. Preventative dental care helps your child avoid hours in the dental chair, too. A dental checkup at the start of school also becomes a yearly reminder for your child to take care of their teeth every day.
At Health Centered Dentistry, we look beyond your teeth to discover underlying health issues. If we find problems with your child’s teeth, we consider the possible causes. Whether they aren’t eating healthy foods or have some health issue that is affecting their oral wellness, we can often identify that need and explain how you can address it.
What to Expect During Checkups
A dental checkup has several parts that work together to ensure better dental health. We start by greeting your child and making them feel comfortable. We ask your child if they’ve had any problems with their teeth and how they feel about their smile. We encourage them and help them feel good about taking care of their teeth. Then, we proceed with the checkup, including the following steps.
- X-Rays: We take X-rays before the exam to discover small areas of tooth decay or see what’s going on below the gumline.
- Exam: Your dentist checks each tooth and examines the condition of your child’s gums. We notice if they have any bite issues, such as overbite or underbite. We look for signs of poor dental care habits and nutritional deficiencies. If your child is young enough to still have deciduous teeth (baby teeth), we observe their condition, too.
- Cleaning: Perhaps the part of the checkup that children look forward to is the feeling of having clean teeth. We do cleanings with each back-to-school dental checkup. When they feel that smooth, fresh feeling, it can change their attitude about taking care of their oral health. It also gives them the confidence to show that healthy smile. Yet, cleaning is about more than just feeling good. It also removes plaque from the teeth to keep them healthier. As a finishing touch, we may apply sealants if appropriate for your child.
- Oral Health Education: Your dentist can give your child smart tips on maintaining good oral health during dental visits. We encouragingly offer these tips, inspiring your child to take care of their teeth and gums now and in the future.
Tips for Your Child’s Daily Oral Hygiene
At Health Centered Dentistry, we provide oral hygiene tips at all back-to-school dental checkups. We customize our suggestions to your child’s specific needs. However, some tips apply to every child. Here are some things your child can do to prevent tooth decay and other problems.
- Watch your young child brush their teeth. (If they are younger than six, they may need you to help or remind them not to swallow the toothpaste.)
- Remind them to brush their teeth twice each day.
- Teach them how to use floss and remind them to floss each day.
- Keep sweets to a minimum.
- Model healthy dental habits.
When you help your child learn to take care of their teeth every day, this small effort will help them develop long-term oral health habits that can last for the rest of their lives.
Benefits of Holistic Dentistry
Health Centered Dentistry provides holistic dentistry services. What does that mean? Holistic dentistry has several features that set it apart from traditional dental services. Although our holistic dental team has all the knowledge and qualifications that traditional dentists have, we offer some extras that they don’t have. Here’s how holistic dentistry is different.
Treat Your Child as a Unique Person
Children want to be recognized as unique individuals, just like we all do. Every child is different and has different dental issues. We recognize and honor each child’s individuality. We get to know your child so that we can recognize their specific needs, strengths, and challenges. At the same time, we foster a sense of trust and appreciation for excellent oral health.
Look for an Overall Picture of Health
Have you ever seen a set of teeth walking down the street without a person attached? Neither have we. That’s why, when we perform a back-to-school dental checkup, we consider your child’s overall health. They might need to develop specific dental habits or take better care of their overall well-being. We consider their total body health when offering special treatments and help you understand the connection between bodily health and teeth.
Address Underlying Health Conditions
While traditional dentists focus only on the teeth, your holistic dentist looks further. Your child may have underlying conditions that make their dental health worse. In some cases, your holistic dentist could be the first to notice a health issue you weren’t aware of before. Then, the dentist can offer nutrition tips or suggest the next steps you should take in dealing with it.
The Best Holistic Care at Health Centered Dentistry
Health-Centered Dentistry offers the best comprehensive dental care in Anchorage. Our back-to-school dental checkup is not only a complete oral health checkup for finding tooth decay and bite problems, we go beyond the basics to improve your child’s oral health and full-body wellness.
Looking for a trusted, caring professional who treats your child as a unique individual? Health Centered Dentistry has you covered! With the best in holistic care, your child can start school with a happy, healthy smile!
Help your child start the school year off right with a complete back-to-school checkup at Health Centered Dentistry!
