Dr. David S. Groy and his team are dedicated to educating young patients. By teaching great at-home care habits, our dental practice helps Leesburg area young people maintain optimal oral health for a lifetime. With early, consistent, preventive care, more patients than ever before are able to retain their natural teeth their entire lives.
At-Home Care Tips for Children from the Family Dentist Leesburg Prefers
At every developmental stage, young people need to adjust their at-home care to fit the needs of their changing smiles. Here are some habits we recommend:
Infants & Toddlers – To avoid damage to developing teeth, wipe babies’ gums gently with a damp rag after feeding. As soon as baby’s first tooth erupts, parents should use an infant toothbrush and a rice-sized amount of toothpaste to clean teeth twice a day. As soon as your child has two teeth that are touching, you should begin flossing daily. The earlier this routine is started the more likely children are to maintain it. Do not allow your child to fall asleep with a bottle. Sugars in formula and other milk products can damage teeth. If an infant cannot sleep without a bottle, replace it once they are asleep with a pacifier or bottle of water to protect growing teeth. Monitor thumb and pacifier sucking habits. If a child continues to suck past age two or three, or sucks very aggressively, you may wish to consider intervention to protect your child’s developing smile.
Aged 5 to 10 – As children begin to lose primary teeth and develop their permanent smile, thorough at-home care and regular dental examinations are essential to helping your child achieve and maintain optimal oral health. At this stage, children begin taking responsibility for daily brushing and flossing. Parents should closely monitor their child’s routine. Dr. Groy will examine your child’s developing permanent teeth during regular six month checkups, and make recommendations for necessary dental or orthodontic treatments to ensure your child’s smile health.
Aged 10+ – At this stage, your child’s permanent teeth should be in place. Dr. Groy may recommend using dental sealants to protect molars or fluoride treatments to fortify tooth enamel. At-home care should be completed independently including thorough twice daily brushing and once a day flossing. Necessary orthodontic treatment is most likely to occur during this period.
Late teens – Your young adult should continue thorough at-home care. In the late teens and early twenties, wisdom teeth may erupt. Wisdom teeth are a third set of molars that our mouths typically do not have space to accommodate. For this reason, most patients have wisdom teeth extracted during their teens.
Call the Dentist Leesburg Families Love – Dr. David S. Groy
Call Dr. Groy, the family dentist Leesburg families trust, to schedule a dental examination for your children today. We offer convenient after school hours until 5 pm Monday to Thursday, and we are always available in case of a dental emergency. Call on our team to protect and care for your child’s smile. We have proudly served multiple generations of Leesburg families, and we look forward to providing outstanding care for years to come.