In the beginning, taking your child to their first dental appointment can be an exciting time. This milestone shows that your baby is growing, and you cannot help but be a proud parent. However, over time, you child may start becoming wary of dental appointments, and this can make your once-joyful visits quite straining. When this happens, some parents will become disheartened and opt to take their child to the dentist only when they develop a tooth problem. Nevertheless, this is not the right approach. Your child requires routine dental visits for several reasons if they are to have healthy teeth. The following are some of the reasons why your child should receive regular dental checkups.

Dental checkups will uncover potential cavities

When it comes to cavities, it should be noted that children are more susceptible to them than adults. This increased risk stems from the fact that children tend to ingest more candy. Additionally, children are not yet adept at brushing their teeth thoroughly, which increases the risk of them developing multiple cavities. By taking your child to the dentist on a routine basis, any potential cavities can be spotted before they become worse, which greatly reduces the risk of premature tooth decay.

Dental checkups will eliminate tartar buildup

Plaque is a substance that develops on your teeth, no matter how thorough your oral care routine is. If the plaque is not removed consistently, it starts to harden and transform into tartar. Tartar is particularly dangerous to your oral health, as it will harbour bacteria, which steadily starts to eat away at the gum tissue. If your child is not cleaning their teeth appropriately, they could end up developing gum disease simply due to plaque buildup. Gum disease will then be accompanied by unpleasant symptoms such as bleeding gums, swollen gums, inflammation and eventual tooth loss. It is prudent to take your child for routine dental visits to prevent these calcified deposits from developing. With scheduled teeth cleaning, you will reduce the risk of your child developing oral problems.

Dental checkups monitor tooth growth

Another aspect of dental checkups is to ensure that your child has healthy tooth growth. The dentist will take occasional x-rays of your child's teeth, and these will enable them to discern if your child's baby teeth and adult teeth are developing correctly. Monitoring tooth growth will also help the dentist determine whether your child may require orthodontic treatments.

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