Go back to school with a confident smile

Dentist visits ensure the timely removal cavity or filling sealants, brightening the child's enthusiasm for learning.

In a new academic year or post-summer holiday break, getting your child back on track for studies at the school is a priority for all parents. You get your child set for school - by buying a backpack, pens and pencils, organizers and notebooks. 

Everything you plan and set in order, so have you also put your child's dental checkup an uptick? If not, think again: Is your child ready to arrive at school with a healthy smile? 

Studies show over 51 million school hours are lost yearly to dental-related illnesses. Around half of all five-to-nine-year-old children have at least one cavity or filling, which hinders their focused learning experience at school.

An oral health examination is essential to start the school year, whether your child is a kindergarten or high school student. Checking your child's teeth after a summer of indulgence is necessary when preparing your child to be content, fit and keen to learn on the first day of school. 

Get oral care advice.

A severe dental condition affects a child's overall health, leading to difficulties in chewing and speaking, sleep disturbance, extreme pain, costly dental treatment, difficulty focusing and learning and even a reason to miss school. 

A visit to a dentist from the start of school ensures parents stay worry-free about their child's oral health and learn all about dental care firsthand.

Parents and children receive doctor's guidance on strengthening, beautifying and enhancing the kid's oral health. The paediatric dentist will show how to correctly use a toothbrush and expose the unwanted gunk that floss can remove. Good oral hygiene and personalized tips from a dentist are big motivators for parents and kids to improve.

Dental checkups prevent chronic disorders.

Parents must include a routine dental examination in a back-to-school practice that helps detect a child's teeth issues early before they become serious. 

During a dental checkup, the dentist will monitor the teeth' development and thoroughly clean teeth, removing plaque from even those hard-to-reach places that help combat decay. Removing plaque helps avoid bad breath, allowing your kid to feel confident in their smile while interacting with friends, which is a beautiful way to start a new school year.

Dentists may apply dental sealants, a plastic material, to the chewing surfaces of the back teeth, protecting the kid's teeth from plaque, a sticky film of acid-producing bacteria. Sealants work well under normal chewing pressure and usually last several years before a reapplication is needed.

If required, radiographs (X-rays) will also be taken to see how the teeth are developing and spot hidden dental caries. An orthodontic evaluation prevents painful, chronic conditions from developing; early treatment prevents or reduces the severity of malocclusions in the permanent teeth and saves money.

Practice teeth care for kids.

Regular and preventive dental care, such as cleaning, proper brushing, flossing, and healthy eating habits, lessen the chance of tooth decay and other dental diseases, granting children smile insurance.

Flossing removes bacteria and should be included when your child has two teeth. Ninety per cent of halitosis or bad breath occur due to lack of dental flossing.

Visit your dentist regularly and ensure your child has a balanced diet, limiting servings of sugars and starches to protect your child's teeth from decay. Sugary foods and sticky candies lead to plaque build-up and cavities, damaging tooth health. Encourage kids to develop healthy food habits. 

Prepare for a new school year/term with a positive tradition: schedule a dental appointment with your child's dentist right before school starts or within the first few weeks. Encourage the child to ask questions to his dentist, creating a solid dental routine for bringing and sustaining a brighter smile.