Why Is Dental Health Incredibly Significant during Middle Childhood?

Dental issues cause many children to experience dental carries and the complications associated during childhood and in later life. Estimates are available claiming approximately 42 percent of children between two and 11 develop dental caries. An equal number of children between six and 19 develop tooth decay on their permanent teeth.

Why is it incredibly essential to teach and inculcate good oral hygiene in children? This article looks at and describes some of the reasons.

When Should You Take Your Kid to the Dental Specialist for Their First Visit?

Children’s visits to the dental office in elk grove, CA, must begin even before their first tooth erupts. Parents of babies receive information on how to clean their child’s gums using a soft washcloth from the dentist at this facility. However, parents not aware of this information must take their babies to the dentist soon after their first tooth erupts or no later than their first birthday. In addition, parents must have information that tooth decay can develop in their child’s mouth from the time the first tooth erupts.

During early visits, the dental specialist at the facility will guide parents on how to clean their child’s teeth and recommend six-monthly visits for exams and cleanings to eliminate plaque deposits from the child’s mouth. These visits are essential to ensure the child develops good oral and overall health besides having a beautiful smile.

Benefits of Early Childhood Dental Visits

There are many benefits of early childhood dental visits. Some of the benefits of these visits are mentioned in this article for the use of parents of young children.

Overall Health

Children’s dental health impacts their overall health. Poor dental health can impact their growth and development in many ways. With regard to physical health, dental issues affect feeding, speaking, smiling, and proper breathing. Poor dental health causes pain and discomfort besides embarrassment, loss of confidence, and the inability to perform everyday activities. Children with dental conditions may be underweight, not grow properly, be prone to illness, show irritability, and complain of sleep disruptions and have higher rates of hospitalization.

Cognitive Development

Children following poor dental hygiene practices get impacted by cognitive development and have impairment of learning abilities. Low grades are familiar with children reporting lost school time because of infections and toothache. Getting children regular exams and cleanings from the dentist near me does not interfere with school attendance. In stark contrast, poor dental health has more unsatisfactory school performance worldwide.

Chronic Medical Conditions

That dental infections lead to other chronic medical conditions is well established. For example, gum disease and cardiovascular issues are correlated to dental needs. Other problems associated with poor dental health include diabetes and stroke. As good oral health conditions are best laid early in life, children must receive education about caring for their teeth and gums from childhood until they reach adolescence.

Preventable Conditions

Regular assessment of children’s teeth and gums from children’s dentistry in elk grove, CA, helps dental specialists detect many general health conditions like vitamin deficiencies, bruxism, and acid reflux. In addition, the early findings enable the specialist to recommend preventive measures and correct tooth decay. Furthermore, mouth tumors are also detected early by preventive dental checkups.

Psychological Consequences

Feeble dental health also results in several psychological consequences during childhood and adolescence. For example, repeated toothaches make children bad-tempered and incapable of developing emotional equilibrium besides decreasing their involvement with community members and peers. Problems such as malocclusion can result in fear of perceived rejection by others leading to social withdrawal, shyness in the company of others, and preventing them from smiling. Children become preoccupied with what others think about them and are at higher risk of developing feelings of worthlessness, unhappiness, and an increased tendency to feel and act withdrawn.

When children receive adequate training and their parents or caregivers are motivated to look after their oral health, they benefit from rich dividends from reduced dental issues, better dental health, proper dental function, and fewer dental expenses. In addition, good oral health among children boosts academic and social development. These benefits must encourage parents to make the best use of preventive dental services in early and middle childhood to ensure that their child benefits significantly from good overall health.

Parents with young children and without adequate knowledge about managing their children’s dental health appropriately during middle childhood are recommended to schedule an appointment with Laguna Dental and Orthodontics to learn the significance of dental health during middle childhood for the benefit of that child’s overall health.