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Preventing Cavities in Kids and Teens

Updated: Feb 27


dentist for kids

When you’re searching for dentist for kids near me” and browsing Yuba City dental offices, you’ll find Smile Zone is the ideal environment for your children. With friendly service, flexible hours, and exemplary preventative and emergency dental care, we are one the best in the area catering specifically to young patients from infancy through the age of 18.


While Yuba City dental offices are plentiful, Smile Zone consistently receives positive customer reviews from families throughout the region. We make it a priority to pair both convenience and exceptional patient service with our high quality dental care.


How To Choose a Dentist for Kids Near Me


If you simply search “dentist for kids near me,” you will get a variety of hits including many different Yuba City dental offices, but Smile Zone specifically offers an environment designed just for children and teenagers to make their dental experience relaxing and fun.


We want to make sure both you and your child have a positive experience and receive the care you deserve from our entire staff. We pride ourselves on working with families to not only correct dental problems when they occur, but to prevent them altogether when possible with valuable education for children and caregivers.


How to Prevent Cavities in Kids and Teens:


Preventative dentistry is important because it saves your child not only unnecessary pain, but maintains their dental health and saves you time and money by catching problems before they become more serious. There are many ways to help children prevent cavities before they begin, and our experienced dental staff at Smile Zone can offer a variety of helpful tips to simplify this for even the youngest of patients.


#1. Teach Regular Brushing from a Young Age


From the time your infant gets his or her first tooth, it’s important to teach positive oral hygiene habits. By using a bit of baby toothpaste on your finger or on an infant toothbrush, then moving up to a toddler toothbrush and making the practice fun, you can instill excellent brushing habits right from the beginning.


For toddlers and older children, many electric toothbrushes come with fun games and special music or timers to encourage brushing for the full amount of time necessary to prevent most cavities. If your child doesn’t have an electric toothbrush, you can also download one of several apps on most smartphones that allow for similar games, timers, and music and games to make brushing exciting and motivational.


#2. Help Your Child Avoid Sugary Foods in Excess


Candy and treats are a fun part of childhood, but making sure your little one doesn’t overdo it is not only good for their overall health, but for their oral health as well. Excess sugar can coat the teeth and begin eroding the enamel, thus causing the beginnings of a cavity.


Another sneaky culprit of cavities in children and teenagers are sugary drinks. Sodas, juices, sweetened milks (specially in sippy cups or bottles that are allowed to coat the teeth for a long period of time) can be extra harmful in creating new cavities. Limit sugar in both foods and drinks to help maintain good oral health.


#3. Teach Older Children How to Floss


While flossing is probably no one‘s favorite task, it is an excellent way to help prevent cavities from forming between the teeth. Sugar and other food particles can become lodged in the tight spaces between teeth, eating the enamel from the sides and causing painful cavities. By teaching your school-aged child how to floss (and setting a good example by flossing yourself), you can build a lifetime habit that will help maintain good oral health as they age.


#4. Schedule Regular Dental Check ups and Cleanings


When you’re looking for a “dentist for kids near me” Smile Zone is the one of the very best as far as preventative dental services for kids and teens go. We recommend bringing your child for regular cleanings which can include fluoride treatment, x-rays, and exams twice a year in order to detect any problems early and help prevent cavities.


With a fluoride treatment to strengthen the teeth and x-rays to detect any early signs of cavities, we can also recommend services such as preventative sealants that can help strengthen the teeth and prevent cavities and other more serious problems later.


Choose Smile Zone for Your Child’s Yuba City Dental Office


When you choose Smile Zone for your child’s Yuba City dental office, we guarantee you will be satisfied with our high-quality care and friendly, professional customer service. We offer flexible scheduling for busy families, including evening and weekend appointments as needed.


We know you have a million things to think about when raising a family, and we want to make your child’s pediatric dental care a simple choice. Give us a call at 530-230-0081 to schedule an appointment. If you’d prefer, you can also send a message through our website and read the reviews from our satisfied customers.

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