Well, Halloween has just passed and Thanksgiving and Christmas are just around the corner. You know what that means… Your children will likely be eating more sweet treats. Apple pie, sweet potatoes with marshmallows on top, candy, cookies and the list goes on and on. So, now is the time to bring your children to Dr. L. Blaine Kennington at Cowlitz River Dental, the children’s dentistry specialist in Castle Rock, WA.

Although your children’s first visit to the dentist is not necessary until they are one or two years old, their dental health can begin much earlier. And it begins with you. The bacteria that cause tooth decay are frequently transferred to a child’s mouth via saliva from a parent or another caregiver. If you share a spoon with your baby or clean the baby’s pacifier in your own mouth, then your saliva is introduced to your child’s mouth. So in this case, spare the share!

Your Child and the Dentist

When you do bring your children to Cowlitz River Dental, we’ll count their baby teeth, check for any signs of tooth decay, gently clean their teeth and offer some tips for your at-home dental hygiene routine. Of course, your children’s baby teeth will fall out. Until then, however, they play a critical role in your child’s general health and more specifically, they are the guides and placeholders for adult teeth.

When their adult teeth do come in, we usually recommend dental sealants and fluoride treatments. Dental sealants are a white plastic coating that is applied to the chewing surface of molars to protect those hard to clean crevices from plaque that harbors cavity-causing bacteria. Fluoride treatments have been proven to strengthen enamel, the tooth’s first natural line of defense against cavities.

Call Our Office Today

Before the holidays arrive, schedule an appointment for your children to see Dr. Kennington at Cowlitz River Dental in Castle Rock, WA. We also serve patients in Kelso, Longview and Lewis County.