Lots of parents and caregivers ask when at a child’s checkup: “Does my kid have any cavities?” This is probably one of the most frequently asked questions in a pediatric dental office and it should be!
The presence — or absence — of cavities is an indicator of many things relating to a child’s oral health. You can make assumptions about their brushing, diet and how often they visit the dentist. Additionally, cavities are a progressive oral disease and require intervention to be treated.
Cavities, however, are just one aspect of oral health. Many times our dentists will examine children with high levels of plaque, obvious poor brushing habits and diet. These are obvious indicators of poor oral health, but if the child doesn’t have any cavities that need to be treated at that time, the child and often the parents too will interpret this as a victory and negative habits can be reinforced. We want the community to understand is there is much more to oral health than simply the presence or absence of cavities.
At Dentistry for Kids we are teaching kids about how better habits result in better health. Learning from your dentist is important! Avoiding dental checkups can be harmful as it prevents dentists from detecting and treating dental problems early on which can make a world of difference in your child’s comfort level and their smile.