Different dental appointments are important at different ages
It’s so good to be back in the clinic every day and helping our patients with their dental care and treatments.
We’re seeing as many people as we can, but we would like to urge more people to make an appointment and come in for a check-up, particularly children.
If you missed a regularly scheduled check-up, you shouldn’t just write it off and wait until another six months have passed.
It’s definitely best to come and see us as soon as it’s convenient and then we’ll reset the timing of your six-monthly visits.
Everyone needs regular check-ups
A check-up at the dentist isn’t the same for everyone.
Of course, we always check a range of dental health markers that allow us to assess your general oral health and make sure there is nothing we need to keep a closer eye on or do some remedial work on.
However, right through childhood, we need to be sure that all of the milestones for normal growth and development are met and, if there are issues, start doing something about them as soon as possible.
After all, your teeth should last your lifetime, so any early issues might have a serious impact in the future if they’re not captured and addressed.
Important milestones in dental growth
While some of the milestones in the development of a child’s teeth might coincide with a regular six-monthly check-up, we encourage separate visits at certain ages to allow us to measure, monitor and manage (if necessary) specific aspects of dental growth.
The most important milestones come:
- Under 2 years of age
- Between 5 and 7 years of age
- Between 11 and 13 years of age
- Around 17 or 18 years of age
We’ve created a handy chart you can download and print out so that the whole family is on board with what we should be seeing at these ages. Click here to get it.
Get the dentist habit
Perhaps the most important message for children to understand from a young age is that we all need to see the dentist regularly.
If you only make an appointment when something’s wrong, it’s likely that any treatment will take longer, be more invasive, and cost more. At worst, an issue left unchecked and untreated may be irreparable.
That’s why we include the point about ‘regular check-ups’ whenever we explain the correct oral health regimen.
Sure, we’d say the habit of twice-daily brushing with a good toothbrush and toothpaste, along with regular flossing, is the absolutely non-negotiable top priority to instil in your kids, but if they don’t get used to seeing a good family dentist regularly, they could end up with some significant oral health issues … and none of us wants that.
Book your appointment now via our quick and simple online appointment booking interface.
We look forward to seeing you soon.
