Get Your Kids’ Smiles Ready For School

By now, you may have started your back-to-school shopping.
You have been picking out new outfits for your kids along with getting supplies. Paper, pens, folders, notebooks, and backpacks will be in your shopping cart soon if you haven’t bought them already.
The first day of school is just a few weeks away. It’s also a good time to schedule a dental cleaning for yourself and your children.
Call Oregon Smile Care Center today to plan your visit to our dentist office in Salem, OR. It may be easier to fit it into your schedule before practices, games, competitions, homework, and other activities take over your free time again.
Great Time For A Checkup
We know you are busy. As a parent, there’s never a dull moment (even if you would like one).
We also know that things can get even busier when school starts. If you are able to bring your family for a routine cleaning and examination now, that may give you a little peace of mind before classes begin.
When you bring your family to us for their dental care, you can expect a few things.
First, you can expect a member of our staff to give you and your children thorough and professional dental cleanings. Second, you can expect us to examine your mouths for any potential problems, including cavities and gum disease.
And if we do see any signs of trouble, we can take steps to address those issue. This would be better than finding out a month from know that your child needs a filling because he or she has a cavity.
Extra Credit
While you are with us, it’s also a good time to take advantage of other services that we offer. These are services that go beyond the standard cleaning and examination to reduce your children’s risk of developing oral health problems.
One of those services is our fluoride treatments.
Bacteria creates plaque, and this can lead to acids that eat away at the enamel of teeth. If too much enamel is eaten away, you or your children will develop tooth decay, a.k.a. a cavity.
Fluoride can help fight this. Fluoride is a mineral. When this mineral is applied to your teeth, it can help to repair parts of enamel that have been damaged.
Fluoride also helps to strengthen your enamel, which means bacteria will have to work a little harder to create a cavity.
This isn’t the only way we can help.
Many parents get dental sealants for their children.
You don’t want your kids to develop cavities, but you probably realize that children don’t always brush their teeth as well as you would like. As also know that children sometimes eat too many sweets.
Dental sealants can help by acting as a barrier between bacteria and your children’s teeth. Sealants can be applied to the surface area of your kids’ molars (the teeth in the back of their mouths), which also are the teeth most likely to develop cavities.
Last, but not least, we would encourage you to ask about our custom-fitted mouthguards for any young athletes in your family.
The American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry and the American Dental Association both recommend wearing a mouthguard during any high-impact sport. The AAPD and the ADA also consider custom-fitted mouthguards to provide the best protection for your children’s teeth and jaw.
We can create these mouthguards for your children.
Daily Habits
As important as dental cleanings, fluoride treatments, dental sealants, and mouthguards can be, there is someone even more important for your family’s long-term oral health.
You need to develop good daily dental care routines.
The ADA recommends doing two things every day — brushing your teeth and flossing between your teeth and gums.
Everyone should be brushing for two minutes twice each day. Be sure to use a fluoride toothpaste and a soft-bristled toothbrush to scrub your teeth on all sides.
Likewise, every member of your family should be flossing at least once per day. Flossing is necessary to clean the spaces between your teeth and below your gumline. These are places that your toothbrush can’t reach.
Be Ready When School Starts
Before the new school year begins, remember to take some time to check on your family’s oral health. Remind everyone what they should be doing on a daily basis to keep their mouths healthy, and schedule a visit with our dentist in Salem, OR, for a professional cleaning and examination.
You can make your appointment at Oregon Smile Care Center by calling (503) 809-4784 or by filling out our online form.
We look forward to seeing you, and good luck in the coming school year.