Our New Location is: 2137 E County Rd 540A Lakeland, FL 33813
We are in the Publix shopping center on the corner of 540A and Lakeland Highlands Rd.
Dentistry For Kids Lakeland, FL
So often, adults are set in their dental care habits and routines to the point that they rarely think about starting a brand new one for their child. It kind of seems like one of those things that will simply take care of itself. However, nobody ever developed a proper and healthy oral care regimen on their own. It takes teaching and daily consistency from the parents, along with early and regular trips to see one of our expert pediatric dentists here at Thomas Plunkett, DMD.
When Oral Care Should Begin
It is suggested that good dental hygiene be started when children are infants. Even before they begin to teethe, a simple routine of softly washing the gums with a warm, wet cloth after the morning meal and before bed is a great start. It is also recommended that you make their first appointment to come see a dentist immediately following the eruption of their first tooth. From there, our oral care provider will explain what steps you need to take next for further dental visits, as well as at-home routines.
Creating Healthy Habits and Routines
Once your child begins to develop their baby teeth, this is the time to begin setting and following a more normal, lifelong type of home care regimen. Daily brushing, twice a day is the obvious first step. Since it is difficult to make mundane chores like this interesting enough for children to actually want to do it, there are certain techniques to make it more fun and kid-friendly.
A few good examples would be something like getting your child a special toothbrush that plays a song for the length of brushing time and then shuts off when it is time to stop. Others would be finding ways to make it more like a game than a responsibility. Small rewards for brushing without being told may also help.
Brushing together and showing them that mommies and daddies have to do this too may even serve as a bonding experience, as well as to make your child feel as though they are doing “grown up” activities, which can help to make them a habit.
Specialized Care for Children
If for some reason your child is having issues with their incoming teeth, such as overcrowding or misalignment, further care and more frequent visits for treatment and exams may be required. It is not uncommon for children to need a little bit of specialized attention as their teeth begin to come in. This is also true when they are older and begin to shed their baby teeth in favor of their permanent adult teeth. Regardless of what type of specific care they might need, the important thing is getting them started on it early.
It is already hard enough to get your kids to establish good oral care techniques at home; you do not want to make going to the dentist a big ordeal as well. Our expert doctors are quite experienced in working with children here at Thomas Plunkett, DMD. Simply give us a call to schedule an appointment by dialing 863-372-1010.
Dentistry For Kids | Thomas Plunkett, DMD | Lakeland, FL Our experienced doctors are quite experienced in working with children here at Thomas Plunkett, DMD. Call us today to schedule an appointment for you or your child! Thomas Plunkett, DMD, 2137 E County Rd 540A, Lakeland, FL 33813 ^ 863-372-1010 ^ plunkettdental.com ^ 9/29/2024 ^ Page Keywords: dentist Lakeland ^