What Is the Perfect Age for Children and Adults to Go for Dental Exams?

Trying to determine the perfect age for children and adults to undergo dental exams will be difficult because every individual has different requirements. Dentists suggest that everyone should undergo two dental exams and cleanings every year to check for tooth decay and cavities and receive treatments if any problems are observed immediately. Newborn children do not have any teeth in their mouths but the teeth are present in their jaws. Dental care for the child should begin immediately and the parent will be suggested to clean the gums every day with a soft cloth dipped in water.

The first baby teeth erupt at the age of six months and the first dental visit of the child to the dentist must be no later than 12 months of age. Thereafter, the child must be taken for dental visits every six months to allow the dentist an opportunity to look for any problems.

Can Children Develop Dental Problems at an Early Age?

It has been noticed that children as young as two years old have developed cavities because they were allowed to go to bed with a bottle of milk or juice. This is a habit that parents are suggested not to follow because the sugar in the beverages is the invitation bacteria are waiting for to attack the mouth of the child.

The bacteria in the mouth erode the enamel of the baby’s teeth by causing tooth decay which ultimately leads to cavities. Some children even had to undergo extensive dental procedures under general anesthesia because the parents are not only neglected this matter but also failed to visit the dentist for remedial measures.

It wouldn’t be proper to blame the child for the improper oral hygiene habits he or she was forced to follow. It was the parents that did not educate themselves about the dental needs of their child and allowed the baby to sleep while feeding. Parents perhaps assumed that dental cavities and tooth decay cannot affect a younger child and therefore preferred not to visit the dentist for attention. The parents had compromised the dental health of their children by failing to educate themselves about how they should be caring for the dental health of the baby.

Dental Care for Adults Is an Ongoing Affair

Adults of all ages must understand they need to schedule twice-yearly appointments with their dentist for exams and cleanings without exceptions. By neglecting these appointments because of the fear of the dentist’s chair or even any procedures that may be conducted the parents are falling prey to a major problem which they will find difficult to treat and expensive to bear.

Neglecting visits to the dentist means that the parents are allowing bacterial deposits and plaque not only to build upon their teeth and gums but also to harden into tartar that cannot be removed by brushing or flossing. The combination of plaque, bacteria, and tartar will not only erode the enamel on the teeth but also create cavities and develop periodontal disease which is a serious condition.

People with these conditions will need to visit the dentist frequently not just for cleanings and exams but for treating the cavities with fillings and periodontal disease with deep cleanings and scaling. The time and money they spend at the dentist’s office will be higher than what they would have spent on regular visits every six months.

The Perfect Age to Begin Dental Exams for Adults and Kids

We have already mentioned that the first dental visit of the child should be at or before the age of one. The parents may or may not have visited the dentist at a young age. However, times have changed and so has our lifestyle. Living in the conditions that are presently prevailing every parent must consider taking the child for a dental visit at or before the age of one when the baby would already have permanent teeth in the mouth. Kids First Dental Columbia also suggests that dental care for children should begin early and continue throughout their lives for better dental and overall health.

Adults that have for some reason neglected dental care until this time are suggested to follow the advice provided by this dental clinic in Colombia, SC, because it will prove helpful for them as well. It is further suggested that adults and children continue visiting a dentist for exams and cleanings every six months or as suggested by the dentist because brushing and flossing alone is not enough to remove deposits of plaque from the teeth. The dentist is the best person to manage these tasks and should be assigned the job of keeping the dental health and the overall health of the adult and the child in good condition.