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Tooth Talk: Start early — save money and toothaches
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Simply good parenting begins with wanting the best for our children. Quality schools, solid values and a sense of family are all important components. Sometimes time and money can put limits on what we can do for our kids’ health and happiness, but not when it comes to preventive dental treatment. That is, well, a bargain.
Regular visits to the dentist should begin early, at around three years of age. These early visits introduce them to dentistry and make them comfortable with the sights and sounds of the environment around them.
Check-up appointments should be twice a year and involve gently cleaning and polishing your child’s teeth, x-rays if necessary and a careful examination of the teeth by the dentist.
We are now able to use a small laser to painlessly detect cavities that were otherwise invisible. If your child is old enough we may recommend placing a topical fluoride that will help to protect and strengthen the teeth against cavities.
As your child’s permanent back teeth come in we will probably advise you to protect their teeth with sealants. Sealants are a risk-free, wear resistant and painless coating that actually bonds to the surface of the teeth, sealing out decay.
The good news: Sealants prevent about 80 percent of the cavities a typical child might otherwise have if left untreated.
A bargain now, that offers a lifetime of benefits!
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Questions can be sent to Fred Eck, D.D.S. at Marco Dental Care, 950 N. Collier Blvd., Suite 305, Marco Island, or call 389-9400. Web site: marcodentalcare.com. He received his Doctor of Dental Surgery at the University of Detroit Mercy and is licensed by the Florida State Board of Dentistry.
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