Children’s Dental Check-Ups

Why you should schedule a dental checkup these school holidays

In 2015 the Australian Bureau of Statistics reported that under half of all Australian families maintained regular dental check-ups. Many participants cited that they didn’t feel the need to see a dentist regularly. Naturally, we find this information alarming, and here’s why.

1. Regularly scheduled dental visits are an essential component to maintaining good oral health.
This is because we will be able to identify and commence treatment on potential dental problems before they begin causing pain or longer-lasting damage.

2. Seeing a dentist regularly can actually save you money in the long run.
This is because, like in point 1, we can spot potential problems early and treat them before they begin to cause excessive damage, which would be far more costly, and far more painful, to treat.

3. We can help keep your bad habits in check.
Habits such as teeth grinding, nail-biting and even brushing teeth too hard can all be identified at a dental check-up. We can identify the problem and give you advice on how to stop these habits. Then, at your next checkup, we can tell you whether the advice is working and if not, help you to take further steps to give up the habit.

4. Maintaining good oral health can help in maintaining good overall body health.
This is because dentists like us at DentalCarXtra practice holistic dentistry and can sometimes identify dental causes for whole body problems.

5. Your teeth and gums will benefit from the extensive clean conducted at every dental visit.
These cleans will remove hard-impacted food and tartar build-up, which if left untreated, could cause cavities or could lead to gum disease. Plus, who doesn’t love leaving the dentist’s chair with that fresh whole-mouth-is-clean feeling!

Ensuring that your child sees a dentist regularly is also an essential component of setting them up for a lifetime of good oral habits. So let’s look at some of the other reasons you may be avoiding the dentist…

If you are avoiding the dentist because your child puts up a fuss or is scared about seeing us, then why not book a whole family check up and show them there is no need for fuss or fear? Leading by example is THE BEST WAY to teach your child any good habit. Further, it will show them first-hand there is no need to fear dentists.

Bring them along to your consultation, let them see you in the chair, and let them see what is done in the checkup. They will quickly learn that there is nothing to fear. Plus our child-friendly rooms will also lessen their fear.

If it is the cost of the checkup that is worrying you, why not utilise the Child Dental Benefits Schedule? It is available for any child aged between 2 and 17 years and allows you $1000 to spend on various dental consultations and procedures over 2 consecutive years. There are limitations on what it can be used for, but check-ups are not one of these limitations! Find out more about the Child Dental Benefits Schedule by reading this guide, or by visiting the Department of Human Services website.

Finally, if it is a timing issue, we are open late on several days of the week.
Moranbah: Monday and Wednesday
Marian: Monday and Thursday. Also, open on Saturdays.

We also have a convenient online booking system so you can easily pick a day and time that suits you.

The benefits of dental check-ups are clear. The excuses for not having one have now been debunked. So don’t delay, book today!

References:

123 Dentist, (2016), Six reasons you need regular dental checkups.

Diller, L. (2014). When should I start taking my child to the dentist? The Guardian [online].