child smiling during their pediatric dental cleaning at Tots to Teens

How Is a Kid’s Dental Cleaning Different From an Adult Cleaning?

August 2, 2023 6:13 pm

Have you watched, like…actually watched your kid try to brush their teeth? Sometimes, it’s a struggle. They don’t quite have the dexterity required to clean all of their teeth as well as they should. This is one hugely important reason why children need bi-annual dental cleanings, just like adults. Where they can’t get all of the plaque build-up on their own, we can help.   At Tots to Teens, our pediatric dentist offers kids teeth cleaning services for children and teens in Kerrville. During your visit, we will perform diagnostic tests to assess your child’s dental and oral health. Once we get to the tooth cleaning, you’ll be thoroughly informed about the process, and they’ll be under the skilled supervision of our dental professionals. That’s the kind of peace of mind that compassionate children’s dentistry can provide.

Children Get More One-on-One Patient Education

Everything that’s intuitive to you as an adult had to be painstakingly taught at one point. Your child doesn’t know how long they should be brushing. They don’t know that their tongues hold a lot of bacteria and should definitely get a scrub down before bed. That’s what we aim to teach them.   During their dental cleaning, they will receive a lot more guidance and instruction on what they could be doing to take better care of their teeth. If they have questions, we want to answer them! Now is the time to get them involved in their own dental health, not years down the line.

Children May Not Need as Thorough of a Cleaning

While we build up a lot of hidden bacteria, plaque, and tartar in hard-to-reach places, children may not need as thorough of a cleaning because their teeth are smaller and farther apart. Food particles don’t get stuck between the teeth as often or as easily, so they won’t have as much tartar build-up in these areas.   This means they probably won’t need powerful tools to break up the tartar (unless their teeth are in pretty poor shape). Hopefully, this allows them to experience dental cleanings in gentler, quieter, and simpler ways.

We May Offer Additional Protection

Both children and adults will be offered a fluoride treatment to help strengthen enamel to better protect your teeth. However, we are also likely to recommend dental sealants as an additional measure of protection during your kid’s teeth cleaning. They’re easy and quick to apply, and they should last several years.   Dental sealants are tooth-colored resin seals that are applied to the back molars (and sometimes the bicuspids) to seal off the pits and grooves that often collect bacteria and food particles. Sealing these areas prevents cavities from developing in those hard-to-brush areas. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), sealants protect against 80 percent of cavities for two years. That’s a huge difference in terms of lost school, discomfort, and treatment expenses.

Book a Kids Teeth Cleaning at Tots to Teens in Kerrville

Pediatric dental care is more than just preventative visits and routine maintenance. Our staff are specially trained to provide child-safe dentistry in a way that’s appropriate for their age and stage of development. If you’d like to book with our highly-rated children’s dentist, please call 830-355-4488 or book online today.
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