Regular dental cleanings and examinations are an important part of your child’s preventive oral care. Both of these procedures protect and ensure your child’s long-term dental health.
When you visit Jonathan C. Wang DDS Inc in Pleasanton, California, with your child, Dr. Wang can detect any dental problems early, when they are in their most treatable stage, and provide timely and proper treatment.
What Happens During a Dental Cleaning?
At our dental office in Pleasanton, California, Dr. Wang will start the cleaning with a thorough examination of your child’s teeth and mouth to check for problems like infections, tooth decay, dental cavities, open sores, bleeding or swollen gums, or others.
Dr. Wang will assess the oral health of your child, inquire about their overall oral health, and take X-rays or dental scans, if necessary. After the examination, using dental instruments and cleaning solutions, Dr. Wang will gently remove plaque and tartar accumulations from the surface of their teeth.
When to Consider Regular Dental Examinations for Your Child?
Regular dental examinations and checkups are an important part of preventive care in pediatric dentistry. During these dental visits, Dr. Wang is able to check for, identify, and treat dental problems before they progress further and affect your child’s overall oral health, their bite, or the development of their adult teeth.
Various factors may determine the frequency of dental check ups recommended for your child. However, organizations such as the American Dental Association generally recommend you schedule your child’s first dental checkup soon after their first tooth erupts.
For toddlers, school-going children, and adolescents, the frequency of visits to our dental office should be every six months.
Importance of Dental Cleanings and Examinations in Children
Children are more prone to developing age-specific dental issues like tooth cavities or decay. That is why regular dental cleanings and examinations by a dentist such as Dr. Wang who is knowledgeable about children’s dentistry is essential.
Dental examinations help detect oral problems at the right time, preventing more severe oral concerns like infections in the future. Professional dental cleanings, as well as preventive treatments like fluoride applications, help prevent serious dental issues and ensure your child’s oral health is well-maintained.
At our office in Pleasanton, California, Dr. Wang will also advise you and your child on their oral health, home-care maintenance regimen.
Oral Hygiene Instructions
Oral hygiene is vital for your gums and teeth. When you visit our office, we will give you dental hygiene instructions to maintain your dental health. These include brushing your teeth twice a day for two minutes and also cleaning between your teeth using floss, a floss pick, or an interdental brush.
Use fluoride toothpaste, floss, mouthwash (may be recommended), and visit us twice a year for dental check-ups for an exam and cleaning. Apart from your teeth, we will also examine your gum health.
Oral Cancer Screening
Oral cancer screening is performed at every dental check up. Dr. Wang will look inside your mouth and check for white and red patches, lumps, and other abnormalities. Dr. Wang will also assess your neck and cheeks. The goal of performing this check is to give you peace of mind and potentially identify any concerns in the early stages.
Teeth Cleaning
We perform professional teeth cleaning to remove the accumulation of plaque, tartar, and other substances in your mouth. The excess build-up of all these elements also inflames your gums and leads to gum diseases. After cleaning your teeth, we recommend you use fluoride toothpaste.Teeth cleaning also involves polishing your teeth with a handheld electric device and gritty professional grade paste.
Gum Therapy and Gum Disease
Your oral health includes your gums as well. The over-accumulation of bacteria, plaque, and tartar can affect your gums and lead to periodontal or gum disease. If not addressed early, the condition may cause gum inflammation, redness, pain, gum swelling, loss of teeth, and other issues .
At Jonathan C. Wang DDS, Inc., Dr. Wang performs gum therapy, including scaling and root planing, and treats the areas beneath your gum line.
Root planing involves removing all hard and soft build-up from the root surfaces in the deeper gum pocket(s) and smoothing out the roots of those teeth. This gives your gums a chance to reattach to those teeth. This enables Dr. Wang to see how much healing your gum tissues will undergo with just this conservative approach.
During your dental appointment, Dr. Wang will also use a probe instrument and check for pocketing within the gums.
If you are diagnosed with gum disease, Dr. Wang recommends regular dental visits to monitor the condition and your recovery following the treatment.
Please call Dr. Wang at Jonathan C Wang DDS, inc. in Pleasanton, CA at (925) 399-6835 or request an appointment online.