Back-to-school season is a notoriously busy time of year, but that doesn’t mean you can let important things like your child’s oral health fall by the wayside. In fact, booking a dental check-up just before it’s time for them to get back to school is not just a prudent way to ensure their health, but it’s also a great means of simplifying your schedules.

The Importance of a Dental Check-Up

Though routine dental check-ups are recommended for patients of all ages, they’re particularly crucial for children. After all, they are still developing, which makes them highly susceptible to tooth decay, cavities, and other potential oral health issues.

Good oral health can even support your child’s performance in school. Sensitivity and pain can be a serious distraction during class. Maintaining a strong, healthy smile lets your child put their best foot forward every day.

Of course, the sensitivity caused by tooth decay and cavities can also impact your child’s overall wellness, not just their academic success. The inability to chew effectively impacts nutrition, which affects all aspects of your child’s health. Improperly chewed food can’t be digested effectively either, meaning your child will be unable to obtain the nutrients they should from their diet.

Routine visits provide the protection and early intervention they need to safeguard their oral health, and spotting potential oral health issues provides a variety of benefits as well. By getting a cavity filling when they need it, your child avoids the need for a root canal or even an extraction down the line. Overall, this means fewer visits to the dentist and less difficulty working around busy schedules.

The same is true for treatment related to your child’s development. Orthodontic interventions such as braces are common but are handled far more easily when the process is started early. Your child can enjoy shorter treatment timelines and potentially avoid braces entirely if the underlying issues that would warrant them are caught early.

What to Expect During the Check-Up

Visiting a kid’s dentist for a check-up is generally a fairly straightforward process. It will start with a professional teeth cleaning, in which the dentist will use special tools to remove plaque and tartar deposits that contribute to tooth decay and gum disease.

The visit will also include a thorough examination to search for various oral health issues. Looking for cavities and early signs of tooth decay, symptoms of gum disease, and other potential problems lets your child’s dentist plan effective early intervention for your child.

X-rays are also common during routine visits, though they may not be necessary for every single check-up. In any case, these can reveal a variety of potential oral health issues. In children, they are crucial to monitor tooth and jaw development over time, highlighting the need for braces or other orthodontic treatment.

Fluoride treatment is often carried out at the same time as routine check-ups. It is a simple procedure that remineralizes the teeth’s enamel to prevent decay and provide lasting protection from cavities.

Lastly, your child’s dentist also provides you, their parent, with practical advice. You can take the time to ask them about oral hygiene, diet, and other steps you can take at home to ensure the best for your child’s oral health.

Scheduling Around the School Calendar

Scheduling dental visits for school-age children can be a challenge. However, there are some tips you can follow to make it easier. First, as mentioned, it’s best to consider booking a routine check-up before school actually starts back up.

Another reason why it’s so great to book ahead of time is that many other parents will have the same idea. Setting appointments on days that your child isn’t in school is convenient but not always possible. The simple fact of the matter is that there are only so many spots available on a given day, and lots of other parents will try to get those appointment times.

If you do have to schedule an appointment during school hours, consider trying to book it for the start or end of the day. Taking your child out of school for an hour and bringing them back is inconvenient and causes more disruption than necessary. Missing just their first or last class isn’t as bad.

Whatever you do, don’t let a busy schedule lead to missed dental check-ups. Visiting the dentist every six months is essential to ensure proper oral health and development for your child. Even when scheduling is difficult, you must make the time.

Book your child’s back-to-school dental appointment in Buffalo, MN.

Planning your child’s back-to-school dental appointment will help avoid disruption during the early school year while also safeguarding your child’s oral health and development. Dental Care Associates of Buffalo is here for all your Buffalo family dentistry needs. Schedule your child’s next appointment today to start this year’s back-to-school season off on the right foot.