At Smiles4OC, our providers offer Costa Mesa, CA families a place to go to care for the smiles of both children and adults. Oral health and wellness are vital to our team, and we encourage new and existing patients in the community and surrounding areas to visit us. Drs. Rolfes, Rolfes, Do, and Dunne educate patients on how to care for their smiles to ensure healthy teeth and gums. In our practice, we make learning about dental care fun and exciting for adults and kids of all ages!

How parents can help

Parents can be an integral part of ensuring that children have healthy smiles. When children visit our practice, we also invite parents back to speak to the dentist about their child’s dental needs. Our team educates parents and offers tips for improving their children’s oral health. These may include the following:

• Teach children to brush and floss after every meal. One of the easiest ways to achieve healthy teeth and gums is for children to be proactive about their oral health. Children should brush after every meal and floss at least once a day. Brushing should last at least two minutes and should include all the teeth, gums, and even the tongue.
• Avoid putting babies to bed with bottles. While some parents think a bottle at bedtime can be soothing for their child, milk, juices, and other beverages sent to bed with babies can increase the risk of dental caries. This problem is often referred to as “bottle caries.” Instead, parents should avoid putting their child to bed with a bottle, unless it is plain water. They should always make sure to wipe the teeth and gums after every meal with a wet soft cloth if their child is not old enough to use a toothbrush.

• Maintain routine dental visits. Our team strongly suggests that parents proactively schedule their children’s dental appointments every six months. These regular visits include a cleaning, examination, and education on maintaining a healthy smile. These are great times for parents to learn about their child’s developing smiles as well!
• Encourage positivity. Some children may feel uneasy about going to the dentist, and we understand. Instead, we encourage parents to talk to their child positively about their upcoming appointment. Instead of asking them to be “brave” or “not cry,” parents should talk about how fun it is for the dentist to show the children their teeth and use all the fascinating instruments to help improve their oral health. If parents give children a sense of fear, their upcoming appointment will be surrounded by anxiety and can make it more difficult for children to cooperate with their provider.
• Maintain a healthy diet. Diets high in sugars, acids, and sodas can be detrimental to a child’s teeth. Parents must feed their children healthy foods that will improve their overall health, not impact it negatively. A diet high in fruits, vegetables, and healthy proteins is key to an appropriate, nutritional diet.

When should a child start seeing a dentist?

Some Costa Mesa, CA area parents do not think about their child seeing a dentist until they are older. This is incorrect. It is important that parents be proactive and have their child seen as soon as their first tooth emerges. This first appointment may be as young as six months. After this, children should have an evaluation performed every six months from this point forward.

What can my child expect during routine visits?

Visits to the dentist may include a cleaning, fluoride or sealant treatment, and x-rays to monitor development. Dental appointments should also be made in-between these routine evaluations if any concerns develop, such as a toothache, knocked out tooth, or pain that may be indicative of a cavity or other problem developing in the mouth.

Please request an appointment with our team today!

Children love to visit the staff at Smiles4OC for routine dental care because we know exactly how to make them feel at ease! If you want to bring your children in for an evaluation at our practice, conveniently located in Costa Mesa, CA, we welcome you to schedule an appointment by calling (714) 557-0700. We are pleased to offer services and education for both children and adults, and help families achieve and maintain their oral health!

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