When you have a child, your whole life changes. You need to take care of them, pay attention to their health, and make sure that they grow happy and healthy. One important thing that you need to pay attention to is their oral health. First-time parents may not know this, but the Canadian Dental Association recommends taking kids to the dentist around their first birthday or 6 months after their first tooth comes out, whichever comes first. The main goal is to prevent any problems with their teeth, like cavities and tooth decay.
Even during COVID-19, you should schedule their dental checkups and cleanings. We know how scary it might sound to go out of your house, but it is necessary. We recommend doing it before problems arise. Also, as mentioned in our previous post, at Savanna Dental we follow the ADA COVID-19 guidelines to make sure that your kid has a safe and have a pleasant visit to the dentist.
So, if you are planning to take your child to the dentist for the first time you need to make sure that their experience is the most pleasant and comfortable as possible. Most kids, even being so little, remember their first time to the dentist.
To set some expectations and make sure that you do not experience any surprises during your little one’s visit, these are some of the few things that will happen during their first dental visit:
- The parents can sit in the dental chair with the kid in their lap to make them feel safe and comfortable while the dentist performs the dental checkup.
- Entertain the child by playing cartoons on Netflix
- The dentist checks babies’ teeth, jaw, bite, and gums to make sure that everything is healthy.
- The parents and dentist discuss teething, daily dental hygiene, and other relevant topics, so they are educated and understand the child’s oral health needs.
- The dentist will recommend booking a follow-up (usually every 6 months)
- Provide a prize at the end of the visit!!
If you are in Calgary and decide to take your child for their first dental appointment, you can visit our pediatric dentist, Dr. Aman Bhopal at Savanna Dental, and he will make sure to take care of all your baby’s dental needs. We are accepting new patients and you can contact us by clicking here or by calling us at (403) 293-3413.
COVID-19 came along with a lot of stress eating, out of boredom and to distract ourselves from what is happening around the world. Obviously, most of us like to eat snacks and sweets to ease stress. However, habits like these can cause new health issues. Regarding your oral health this could mean cavities and tooth decay.
Last couple of months, COVID-19 cases have been increasing rapidly in Alberta, especially in Calgary. To control the spread, we should only go out of the house if it is necessary like essential groceries, drug store to get medications, and dental and/or medical appointments.
At Savanna Dental, we have developed this list of 5 tips to take care of your oral health:
- Have a healthy and balanced diet – eating healthy and having a balanced diet is key to provide our body, bones, teeth, and gums with the nutrients that they need to fight infections and diseases.
- Eat less snacks and sweets – eating a lot of sugar and/or salt can increase the risk of developing cavities and increase tooth decay. To prevent these, we recommend reducing the consumption of sugary and salty treats to up to once a day.
- Stay hydrated – staying hydrated is essential to produce saliva which washes away food from the teeth and maintains your oral health. Also, having a glass of water after every meal can help you rinse your mouth and remove any food excess from your teeth.
- Brush, floss and rinse your teeth – brushing, flossing, and rinsing with mouthwash should be part of your daily life. We recommend doing it at least twice a day when you wake up and before you go to sleep. However, if you can, you should also be doing it after each meal.
- Keep your toothbrush clean – viruses can survive in your toothbrush for up to three days. A good rinse with mouthwash and water can help maintain a clean toothbrush. Also, remember to change your toothbrush every 2 to 3 months.
These are just a few recommendations to help you prevent oral health problems. However, if you are suffering from tooth pain, Savanna Dental can help. Call us at (403) 293-3413 or walk into our dental clinic in Calgary NE.
