School vacations are often busy and especially at this time of year as parents everywhere begin to plan for the new school year ahead. An essential part of this plan should be a back-to-school checkup, but often the new school year term can sneak up on you. Ideally, it’s best to get into the habit of booking an appointment at the beginning of summer.

Is There an Ideal Time for Kids to See the Dentist?

Usually, if you have a young child who likes a daytime nap still, it’s best not to schedule visits during nap time. Also, make sure your child has something light to eat before their appointment as who doesn’t feel grouchy when they are hungry? With older children, the temptation is to book a dentist appointment in Courtice straight after school, but not all kids have the stamina to see the dentist and especially if they are already exhausted or have had tests or simply a bad day.

Another thing to remember is to leave your feelings about dental visits at home, if possible. Many adults feel a bit anxious when they see the dentist and kids can easily pick up on this anxiety and especially younger children. Instead, try to be positive and emphasize the benefits of regular dental care.

Even if you don’t quite have enough time to take your child to the dentist in Newcastle right away, there are still plenty of things you can do to encourage healthy, age-appropriate dental habits at home. All kids need to brush their teeth at least twice a day for two minutes each time and should floss once-a-day.

Oral Care for Ages Six and under

Although your child may be anxious to brush their teeth on their own, they probably lack the motor skills needed to clean them thoroughly. It’s best to let them start cleaning their teeth, taking over as necessary. One thing to remember is that at this age, their mouth is changing a lot, and brushing habits need to change too! Otherwise, there’s the risk that tooth brushing habits won’t accommodate new molars.

Oral Care for Ages 7 to 12

At this age, your child is most likely getting much more independent and will know how to brush their teeth, but they may not want to spend the time brushing and flossing properly. Keep encouraging them to brush their teeth and be aware that you may need to take over their tooth brushing sometimes. Also, don’t forget that we can help you here at West Bowmanville Family Dental. Our dental team can teach your child, showing them how to brush and floss properly and using techniques and language that make learning interesting and enjoyable. Also, we can explain why good oral health is so important. By the time your child enters their teens, they are more likely to understand the importance of self-care and the potential consequences of neglect.

Oral Care for Ages 12 to 18

This can be a critical time for oral health as initially, cavities tend to appear in young kids, but also during the teenage years and early adulthood. It could be because teenagers may have gone years without ever having a cavity. Consequently, they might not take care of their teeth properly because they have never seen the consequences of poor oral care. Again, we can help by providing excellent preventative dentistry in Clarington and by continuing to educate your child so that hopefully by the time they are young adults, they have the knowledge needed to look after their teeth and gums.