Tuesday, March 23rd, 2010
It’s important to start bringing your children to the dentist on a regular basis from a young age, but that doesn’t mean that the work stops between dental visits. To be proactive with the oral health of your children you can complete examinations at home between trips to the dentist and keep an eye out for tooth decay, cavities and enflamed gums that could be signs of trouble. If you spot something while completing a home examination, book an appointment with your dentist.
Tips for home examinations:
- Sit comfortably with your child’s head in your lap. In this position, you should be able to see all surfaces of the front and back teeth relatively easy
- Use gauze or paper towel to help move your child’s tongue around their mouth to get a good view of the teeth all around the mouth
- Use a compressor to hold their tongue down when you try and look at the back teeth. If you don’t have a tongue compressor then use the end of a spoon
- With a younger child, don’t take too long with the examination process, otherwise they might not be so cooperative next time. The first time you try this at home, get your child to open his/her mouth while you do a quick check!
Via: Your Dental Care Tips
Image Credit: Flickr Creative Commons
Tags: at home examination, baby teeth, children's teeth, dental care for kids, dental care for parents, oral care at home
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