Back-to-School Dental Cleanings: A Smart Start to Success

As parents, we’re always looking for ways to set our kids up for a successful school year. Between school supplies, new clothes, and doctor’s appointments, it’s easy to overlook one crucial aspect of their well-being: their oral health. 

Specifically, I’m talking about back-to-school dental cleanings, because a healthy mouth can do a lot to impact a child’s focus and confidence.

Why Back-to-School Dental Cleanings are Important

Back-to-school season is hectic, so that’s why scheduling a routine dental exam might slip your mind. Regular dental visits are critical for kids of all ages. These dental checkups are important for preventing cavities and keeping their smile looking amazing.

According to a 2019 study, kids with good oral health are more likely to do well at school. And that makes sense. Just imagine how tooth pain or discomfort can distract a child during class, or even keep them from eating a healthy lunch. The reality is that dental health is connected to a child’s ability to thrive in school; it is very important.

Spotting Potential Problems

Regular dental cleanings let dentists spot small issues before they become bigger problems. These potential problems include tooth decay that, left unchecked, will keep getting more problematic. Starting early means dealing with problems when they’re easier to manage.

Plus, these visits can identify early signs of gum issues. As well, dentists make sure your child’s teeth are growing properly. And if there is an orthodontic evaluation going on, monitoring your child’s tooth growth could help make sure orthodontic treatment comes at the appropriate time.

Removing Plaque and Tartar

Kids aren’t always the best at brushing, and plaque and tartar are very sneaky. These bacteria cause tooth decay and gum disease that only dental cleanings can fully tackle. I, myself, had to deal with gingivitis, and believe me when I say it’s not fun.

Dental cleanings give your child a base for strong oral health and can significantly improve your child’s mouth. A trip to the dentist does something that not even the best self-dental care can achieve. For instance, fully removing plaque is impossible with a standard toothbrush, and even if it could, you may not even notice the plaque on your child’s teeth or know how to identify it.

Perfecting Oral Hygiene

Oral health tips should include routine visits to the dentist to improve your kids’ oral hygiene techniques. Professional guidance helps big time and improves dental health greatly.

Kids can learn the importance of brushing and flossing, while correcting flaws in their technique. These good habits make sure your child heads to school feeling confident about their healthy smile.

By setting your child up with strong dental health habits early in life, you are setting them up to succeed throughout their lifetime. As your kids enter back-to-school season, it is important to think of ALL aspects of their health, including their teeth and gums.

How To Prepare Your Child for a Great Dental Visit

I have definitely learned a thing or two with each and every dental appointment, so please take my advice in helping your kids feel much calmer at the dentist. Dental anxiety can definitely be common with young children, as some worry about sharp tools, tooth pain, or just about anything else that could happen during their visit to their pediatric dentist. 

Here are steps you can follow to help your child avoid anxiety at the dentist:

Choose the Right Dentist

Start by finding a pediatric dentist who knows how to work with children. Most of all, you would prefer a friendly and patient one. A good dentist should have the experience to keep your child comfortable during the whole of their cleaning and consultation.

To achieve this, look online, read reviews, and ask other parents for recommendations before deciding who to choose. Once that’s settled and done, you’ll need to prep them even before the appointment. The right dentist – along with how well they connect with your child – can make or break their experience and their health.

Explain What Will Happen

The biggest thing you need to explain is what is going to happen to your child during the dental cleaning. Discuss how the dentist will check their teeth and clean them. 

If, after that, your kid still has dental anxiety, there is something else you can do that will make a big difference: Remind them that it will keep their smile bright and healthy. 

It’s also important that you listen to your child’s anxieties and feelings; it lets them be honest about their emotional experience during the event. This approach gives them more control, which will make them feel safe overall.

Use Positive Language

A very simple tip: Use “happy” words when describing the dental experience to your child. This helps build excitement. Alternatively, avoid negative words like “pain”, “shot”, or “drill”. Instead, emphasize the benefits to every aspect of their dental visit.

Make sure to tell your child about the importance of a trip to the dentist and that their bright smile is the end result. And speak with passion when building this connection with them. This tone goes a long way, because kids understand our anxieties that we subconsciously teach them when speaking to them.

The Impact of Oral Health on Academic Performance

The great thing about scheduling these appointments is that you not only alleviate risks but actually promote the health of your child in so many aspects. Critically, you also promote great confidence.

When your child knows their teeth look amazing, that reflects big time. Feeling good about their smile makes them more likely to smile at other peers. Studies have shown this boosts confidence, and we all know that confidence helps at school and in social situations.

Not only that, I’m sure many of us can remember having to miss school – and how that negatively impacted our studies. Unfortunately, when children miss a lot of school due to dental health, it typically makes a real difference in their grades, in a bad way. It’s a fact that poor oral health is related to school absences and lower grades.

With that in mind, make sure the dentist you work with takes your insurance. If that does not work, financing options might also exist.

Creating Healthy Dental Habits at Home

Your support does not stop with scheduling these appointments; you should also strive to create healthy dental habits at home. Because let’s be real, at the end of the day, that’s what makes a big difference in ensuring a great routine and overall oral hygiene. 

With that in mind, here are a couple of habits that will make a big difference:

Brushing and Flossing Routine

Back-to-school dental means ensuring consistent dental health habits and building good habits. As adults, we tend to start every day with dental routines to prevent potential mouth complications in the long run. These routines probably started early for you, so you should start them young with healthy dental habits – both in the morning and especially at bedtime.

Emphasize to them to floss between their teeth; that this cleans out nasty bacteria gives them a wonderful start or end to the day.

Also, don’t just tell them, show them, and do it with them! By doing the routines with your child, it builds their accountability, knowing their parent(s) can see them brushing, makes things 10 times more likely to go smoothly.

Healthy Lunch Options

Send your kids to school with good snack choices, not only for their bodies but also their dental health. Snacks like carrot sticks and cheese cubes not only make their tummy feel satisfied and happy but help protect against bacteria and keep gums safe from possible disease.

By the way, make sure your kids drink plenty of water. Water helps rinse their mouths of food particles and some of the sugars they otherwise consume. Sugars that accelerate tooth decay. Speaking of which, limiting sugary treats is also key, because – let’s be real – these days it seems that everything tasty has sugar in it. Unfortunately, sugar is one of THE enemies of good oral health.

Following these tips can make all the difference and are very actionable. Even simple changes that are slowly implemented make a huge difference in your family’s future dental health.

Replacing Toothbrushes Regularly

Not many people are aware of this, but take it as a fact: Old toothbrushes don’t clean your teeth very well. Toothbrushes should be switched out around every three months and more often if the bristles are worn. The good news is that you can purchase affordable toothbrushes; they don’t have to be some fancy type.

The ADA recommends you switch out toothbrushes every three months, or when the bristles wear down. Be proactive in brushing your children’s teeth too. 

What if your child plays contact sports?

OK, this last but not least step can alleviate your problems big time: Make sure to custom-fit them with a mouthguard. Mouthguards can help your child avoid a mouth injury and protect both teeth and orthodontic structures.

I was always the athletic type growing up, and also remember being rambunctious on top of that. For kids like that, a custom mouthguard offers their parent(s) so much more peace of mind. And there’s a reason why we say “custom” mouthguard. A custom mouthguard increases their oral safety, and even feels better when they put it in. This ensures that they’ll actually enjoy wearing it and thus wear it more. 

So yes, custom mouthguards go a very long way. Also, in this instance, it pays not to be cheap. It’s not worth the risk, especially when it comes to your family health.

Understanding Dental Insurance and Payment Options

Finances can always create anxiety. Paying bills, even for our loved ones, can leave you with a feeling that can weigh on you.

But you can help alleviate those concerns by planning ahead. With that in mind, discuss what insurances your dental office accepts, and find the dentist that fits your financial parameters. You can also research plans or VIP programs that may assist you financially. 

Above all, do your research and talk to your care providers and dental offices ahead of time. The results will help you avoid stress and ensure that your child’s dental care works out for everyone in the long run.

Conclusion

As school bells ring and summer fades, be sure dental cleanings are high on your back-to-school checklist. We’ve covered how a healthy smile boosts your child’s confidence and helps prevent future dental issues. We also shared steps you can take to make dental visits comfortable and safe.

At BGW Dental Group, we’re here to support your family every step of the way. A back-to-school dental checkup isn’t just about clean teeth, it’s about giving your child the best chance to thrive socially, academically, and personally. Strong smiles lead to brighter futures and we’re proud to help make that happen.