What’s Included in a Preventive Visit?

Routine Cleanings A gentle, thorough cleaning by one of our hygienists keeps plaque and tartar from making a home on your child’s teeth. Plus, it’s a great excuse to talk about their favorite show while we work. We’re great listeners.

Dental Exams At each visit, our pediatric dentists take a close look at how your child’s teeth and jaw are developing. We’re watching for early signs of cavities, bite issues, and anything else that’s easier to fix now than later.

Digital X-rays Our low-radiation digital X-rays let us see what’s happening below the surface, without the guesswork. Quick, safe, and surprisingly interesting to look at (kids love seeing their own teeth on screen).

Fluoride Treatments Fluoride is like sunscreen for teeth. A quick fluoride treatment at each visit strengthens enamel and helps protect against cavities between checkups.

Dental Sealants Those back molars are hard to brush and easy to forget. Sealants are a thin, protective coating we paint onto those grooves to block out bacteria before cavities can get a foothold. Simple, painless, and worth it.

Oral Hygiene Education We’ll show your kiddo the right way to brush and floss for their age, and yes, we make it fun. We’ve got tips for picky brushers, wiggly brushers, and the ones who swear they already did it.

When Should My Child’s First Visit Be?

The American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry recommends a child’s first dental visit by their first birthday or within six months of their first tooth coming in. We know, it sounds early! But starting sooner means we get to know your child before any problems pop up, and it sets the tone for a lifetime of healthy habits.

Early visits are short, sweet, and mostly about making your child feel comfortable with us. No drills, no drama.

How Often Should Kids Come In?

We recommend visits every six months for most kids. Some children with higher cavity risk may need to come in a bit more often, and we’ll let you know if that’s the case.

Consistent visits mean we catch small things before they become big things. It also means your child gets used to the dental chair before they ever need anything more than a cleaning. That’s a win all around.

A Little Prevention Goes a Long Way

Here’s the thing: preventative care is almost always easier, faster, and less expensive than fixing a problem after the fact. A cleaning and fluoride treatment take less than an hour. A cavity? That takes a little longer and is a lot less fun.

We’re rooting for your child to come in, breeze through their appointment, and leave with a goody bag and bragging rights. That’s our goal every single visit.

Ready to book your child’s next cleaning? We’d love to see them, even if the most exciting thing they bring us is a drawing of a shark. (Especially if it’s a shark.)

Sealants

Some teeth can be prone to cavities simply because of their shape. Just as hair and eye color are different for all individuals, so are the shapes of teeth. People with deep grooves on their teeth may find that food gets trapped in their teeth easily, allowing bacteria to flourish and cavities to develop.

Dental sealants can help prevent cavities by filling in the grooves of the teeth so that food and bacteria don’t have a place to hide. Sealants help make brushing more effective and protect the chewing surface of permanent molars.

Placing sealants is easy for the patient. No numbing is required, and the process is simple: clean the tooth, dry the tooth and paint the sealant over the grooves of the teeth.The sealant hardens immediately, and becomes just like the tooth it covers.

If you have any questions about sealants, please ask us on your next visit or call us anytime. We encourage your comments and questions!

To learn more about the product that Bluefish uses for sealants.