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Your child should start having regular dental checkups once they get their first tooth. These visits can help you spot early signs of tooth decay and teach your child about cleaning their teeth. It is important to find a pediatric dentist for your child. These dentists specialize in childhood oral health and know how to work with kids. So your child will feel at home during their visits. However, if you are looking for a pediatric dentist in Elizabethtown you have a lot to choose from!

In fact, there are more than 9,000 pediatric dental practices across the United States.

Knowing what to ask a dentist will help you find the right one to suit you and your child and can teach you a lot about children’s oral health. So what should you ask your dentist? Read on to find out everything you need to know!

1. What Experience Do You Have Working With Children?

Before you take your child to visit the dentist you want to make sure you have found a good practice.

Your practice should employ dentists who specialize in pediatric oral health. This means that they have the knowledge and expertise to care for your child’s teeth properly.

However, knowing about teeth isn’t the only important thing. Creating a supportive, positive environment for children is essential. This ensures that they feel happy about going to the dentist.

So make sure you choose a dentist with plenty of experience working with children and the proper certification.

2. When Is the Dental Practice Open?

Opening hours might not seem like the most important consideration when choosing a dentist. However, these can have a huge impact on how easy it is to schedule an appointment.

Ideally, look for a dentist with long opening hours who is also available at the weekends. This means you won’t have to take your child out of school for their appointments.

3. How Often Does My Child Need to Come In for Checkups?

Your child should see the dentist at least once a year. However, they may need to go in more if they have specific oral health conditions.

Asking about this helps you plan your child’s dental visits. It also helps to spot dental surgeries that might be trying to take advantage of you.

If a dentist recommends coming in once every three months without good reason they may be overcharging you.

4. How Often Should My Child Brush Their Teeth?

Understanding how and when your children should brush their teeth will help you take care of them between visits. After all, what you do during this time has the biggest impact on your oral health!

Brushing too little can lead too to tooth decay. However, overbrushing can damage your child’s gums.

A good pediatric dentist should recommend a healthy brushing routine and show your child how to properly brush their teeth.

5. What Type of Toothpaste Should My Child Use?

Adult toothpaste is not suitable for children under the age of seven. This is because it contains too much fluoride for young children.

Instead, ask your dentist for their toothpaste recommendations. This will help you find a toothpaste that they like using, which will make regular brushing much easier!

Children under the age of three should only use a smear of toothpaste when brushing. Between the ages of three and six, they can start using a pea-sized amount.

6. Does My Child Need to Floss Their Teeth?

Flossing is an important part of oral hygiene for adults. Adults should do this to get rid of the debris before brushing. However, it can hurt young gums and most children don’t need to do it.

This is because they only have 20 milk teeth (compared to the 32 adult teeth they will get as they get older.) So milk teeth tend to sit further apart than adult teeth.

If your child still has gaps between their teeth cleaning with a toothbrush will be enough to get rid of any debris.

If they have teeth that sit close together then your dentist may recommend using dental floss. In that case, they will show you and your child how to use this. They can also recommend floss that is easy to use.

Once your child’s adult teeth start coming in they can start using floss as part of their regular oral hygiene routine.

7. Does My Child Need an X-Ray of Their Teeth?

Dental x-rays are incredibly useful. These help dentists spot damage or disease below the gum, which isn’t visible during regular check-ups.

However, it is important to avoid exposing children to x-rays while they are still young. This is because children are more affected by radiation exposure than adults. So having a lot of unnecessary x-rays could increase their risk of developing other illnesses, like cancer.

Most children have their first dental x-ray once they turn 7. Your child may need one before this if the dentist thinks that they have tooth disease or damage.

However, they should not recommend regular check-up x-rays before this. If they do then you are within your right to question this.

Asking about this in advance will also help you spot dentists who understand the best and safest practices for their young patients.

Get Help From a Pediatric Dentist in Elizabethtown Today

As you can see, there are a lot of things to ask your pediatric dentist in Elizabethtown.

These will help you find a dentist with great experience who is available to see your child. They’ll also help you care for your child’s teeth properly and show you that your family dentist knows what they’re talking about.

Are you looking for a pediatric dentist for your child? Then get in touch with Elizabethtown Dentistry for Children today — we’re happy to help!