Dental Cleanings

Dental cleanings play an important role in keeping your child’s smile healthy and free from cavities and other problems. Preventive care, including dental cleanings, is a major focus of our pediatric dentists and team, and we will take special care to provide your child with gentle care so that they can feel at ease as well as a thorough cleaning to boost their oral health.

What Are Dental Cleanings?

Brushing, flossing and using mouthwash at home all help to remove plaque buildup from your child’s teeth. However, not all bacteria and plaque can be removed by oral hygiene at home. In-office dental cleanings are needed to thoroughly clean your child’s mouth. During your child’s dental cleaning, our pediatric dentists and team will gently brush and floss their teeth, taking the time to ensure that each tooth is cleaned thoroughly to remove plaque and other decay-causing factors.

Why Are Dental Cleanings Important?

Children are at increased risk for cavities during their first decade of life, making regular cleanings an incredibly important part of their oral health. A professional cleaning will remove plaque from the teeth, help prevent cavities and identify any developing tooth decay. Without regular cleanings, your child may not only develop cavities but also experience more serious problems as a result. Regular dental cleanings will help keep your child’s smile healthy as well as prevent the need for additional treatments to correct cavities and other problems.

How Often Should Children Receive Dental Cleanings?

We recommend that your child receive a dental cleaning every six months – just like an adult. We recommend that your child’s very first dental visit happen around their first birthday so our pediatric dentists can check the development of their teeth. After this initial visit we will start scheduling regular “dental checkups” at six-month intervals. Our pediatric dentists may recommend more frequent visits if your child needs additional care.

You may have concerns about the frequency of your child’s visits if they are afraid or do not understand what is happening. However, visiting the dentist regularly from an early age helps children become accustomed to being in the dental office and reduces the possibility that they will experience anxiety or fear when visiting us. These regular visits will also help your child understand that our pediatric dentists and team are here to help. We will also take care to make their experience as comfortable and relaxing as possible for your child, and to help your child learn how to take care of their smile.