Our practice is family-friendly, and our dentists would love to become your go-to providers, regardless of your oral health journey. Family dentistry treatment in our Carrollton, TX, office addresses the needs of you and your loved ones.
This means we can provide dental treatment for children and adults so everyone can keep their smiles healthy. We also provide general dentistry services in our dental office. Here, we will give tips to parents on how to care for their smiles and build good oral health habits as they grow.
Family Dentistry in Carrollton, TX
You are not alone if you have trouble getting your children to cooperate with brushing their teeth. Luckily, there are ways to make your children not only brush their teeth on their own but come to love it, too. Below are our three favorite ways to get your kids to love oral hygiene!
Reward good brushing behavior.
Rewards can be as simple as stickers or marks on a chart whenever your children take ownership of their oral hygiene routine without complaint. You could even let your children choose dinner one night of the week if they have been good about brushing their teeth the week prior. No matter how small a reward may be, it will reinforce positive oral hygiene habits in your child.
Make it fun.
How can you make brushing fun for your kids? We recommend making a brushing playlist of songs they enjoy. You can even mix in some dental-themed songs. Whenever it is time for brushing, put a playlist on and brush your teeth with your children. You can also try letting your children pick their toothbrushes.
Most stores carry many toothbrushes for kids, many with beloved cartoon characters on them. There are many unique ways to get your children to view oral hygiene as necessary and fun. Soon, your kids will ask when it’s time to brush their teeth.
Teach your children the importance of oral health early and model good oral hygiene yourself.
Children tend to take on the behaviors they see in their parents, even if they don’t understand them. Oral hygiene is no exception. If a child sees their parents consistently brushing and flossing, they will think they should be doing the same. Creating a specific time for brushing for your kids at a young age will create a habit.
When they become old enough to take care of their oral care, a particular time will already be familiar with them. It is also essential to explain to children the reasons why certain behaviors are positive.
Preventive Dental Care for Children
Fighting cavities is essential to children’s dentistry. Children are more likely to develop cavities than other age groups. Factors that contribute to cavities include poor oral hygiene and sugary foods and drinks.
At home, you can help your child learn how to brush and floss for two minutes twice a day. You can also supervise your child as they begin to care for their smile on their own. Sugary drinks are also a big contributor to tooth decay because they can coat the teeth and gums. Limit sugary snacks and help your child drinks enough water to help wash away sugar from the teeth and gums.
Sealants and Fluoride Treatment
In our office, we offer preventative cavity treatments to fight cavities and prevent the need for tooth extraction or fillings.
Sealants are thin coatings we paint on the molars to protect them from cavities. These coatings also prevent food from getting trapped in the tooth’s grooves.
The molars are the teeth in the back of the mouth. These teeth are most prone to decay because they can be hard to reach.
After a dental cleaning, we can paint sealants on the molars. We recommend sealants at age 6 and then at age 12. Sealants can last 2 to 5 years.
Fluoride is a natural mineral beneficial to your oral health. When you drink fluoridated water or use fluoride toothpaste, you strengthen your tooth enamel or outer tooth layer. Our office provides fluoride treatment for patients of all ages.
We use a gel or varnish that we paint on the teeth after a dental cleaning. After we place the varnish, we recommend that your child avoid eating or drinking for 30 minutes to help the fluoride enter the enamel. We will recommend the frequency of fluoride treatments based on your and your child’s oral health.
How We Make You Comfortable
At Hebron Family Dental, we want patients of all ages to feel comfortable in the dental chair. We understand that dental anxiety is common among younger patients who may not know what to expect at the dentist. As a parent, you can help prepare your child for their first dental visits.
Our office will make your child’s visits more comfortable in multiple ways:
- We Encourage Comforting Objects: Your child can bring a blanket, toy, or headphones with music to their dental visit. If your child is sensitive to loud noises, you can bring noise-canceling headphones.
- We Talk to Patients: If your child is anxious, we will help calm their fears and pause as needed. We will also ask and answer your child’s questions to help distract from treatment. In addition, we can explain your child’s treatment in simple terms to help them understand what we’re doing.
- We Welcome Office Tours: If your child is new to our office or the dentist, we can help schedule an office tour before your child’s appointment. You and your child will visit our office staff and dentists. When your child meets our friendly team, it can help them feel more comfortable at dental visits.
Schedule Your Appointment Today
Call Hebron Family Dental for family dentistry services in Carrollton, TX, at 972-236-5871. You may also schedule a dental appointment online.
We serve Carrollton, Texas, and other surrounding communities such as Addison, Farmers Branch, Coppell, The Colony, Double Oak, and Bartonville.
We also serve Lantana, Lewisville, Copper Canyon, Highland Village, and countless other cities and neighborhoods in the Dallas-Fort Worth metroplex!
Our dental care team brings years of top-notch experience and a passion for helping and getting to know others, which is one of the main reasons we are so beloved in our community. Let’s work together to keep your mouth healthy and give you a smile that you are proud of!