{"id":82,"date":"2018-05-28T15:48:23","date_gmt":"2018-05-28T15:48:23","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.lifetime.dental\/blog\/?p=82"},"modified":"2018-05-28T15:48:23","modified_gmt":"2018-05-28T15:48:23","slug":"family-dentist-agawam","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.lifetime.dental\/blog\/2018\/05\/28\/family-dentist-agawam\/","title":{"rendered":"Start Your Child Off Right With a Family Dentist in Agawam!"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignright size-medium wp-image-83\" src=\"https:\/\/www.lifetime.dental\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/05\/image-2018-05-28-1-300x200.jpg\" alt=\"Smiling child in the dental chair.\" width=\"300\" height=\"200\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.lifetime.dental\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/05\/image-2018-05-28-1-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.lifetime.dental\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/05\/image-2018-05-28-1.jpg 320w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" \/>Childhood is full of firsts. The first words, first haircut, and first day of school are just a few examples of the many milestones your child will hit in their early years. Among all those firsts, one that you want to avoid is a first cavity!<\/p>\n<p>Fortunately, with modern preventative care and good hygiene practices at home, children can completely avoid ever getting cavities or needing extensive dental work. Along with seeing a family dentist in Agawam, there are some simple things you can do at home to get them off to a great start and set them up for a having a healthy smile for life!<\/p>\n<p><!--more--><\/p>\n<h2>Why Is Good Oral Health in Childhood So Important?<\/h2>\n<p>It\u2019s not uncommon to think that baby teeth don\u2019t matter much because they\u2019re going to fall out. That couldn\u2019t be further from the truth! Baby teeth are important for all of the following reasons:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Function <\/strong>\u2013 Healthy baby teeth help your child eat and speak normally. Since the last baby teeth don\u2019t fall out until around age 12, it\u2019s important that they stay strong and healthy for many years.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Self-esteem<\/strong> \u2013 Sadly, children with oral health problems struggle more with self-esteem and social anxiety than those who don\u2019t. Good oral health helps your child feel comfortable smiling and laughing \u2013 an important part of any childhood!<\/li>\n<li><strong>Development of permanent teeth<\/strong> \u2013 If the baby teeth have to be extracted early because of large cavities or other problems, the permanent teeth won\u2019t come in properly, which requires treatment down the road to correct.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>Furthermore, the habits established in childhood persist into adulthood and positive early experiences at the dentist set children up for a lifetime of getting routine dental care.<\/p>\n<h2>What Can You Expect at Your Child\u2019s First Dental Visit?<\/h2>\n<p>The American Dental Association recommends that children see a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.lifetime.dental\/childrens-dentistry.html\">family dentist<\/a> for the first time when the first tooth comes in or around their first birthday. If your child is older than that, not to worry \u2013 just schedule them as soon as possible!<\/p>\n<p>Here\u2019s what you can expect at the first visit:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>First, your child\u2019s medical and dental history will be reviewed and you\u2019ll have an opportunity to ask any specific questions you may have.<\/li>\n<li>Typically, X-rays and polishing don\u2019t happen until the age of 3-4, although that can vary a bit depending on the child. Prior to that age, visits primarily entail looking in the mouth to look to make sure everything is normal and healthy. Children are usually more comfortable sitting in their parent\u2019s lap during their exam.<\/li>\n<li>A dentist will discuss the best way to keep your child\u2019s teeth clean and prevent cavities. They\u2019ll also recommend the best products to use and tell you whether fluoridated toothpaste is appropriate.<\/li>\n<li>If you don\u2019t live in an area with a fluoridated water supply, they can prescribe supplements so your child\u2019s teeth develop as strong as possible.<\/li>\n<li>Finally, your child will get a new toothbrush and pick out a toy, which usually makes them eager to come back!<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>Remember, the simple act of getting routine dental care gives your child the best chance of having healthy, beautiful teeth throughout their entire lives!<\/p>\n<h2>About the Author<\/h2>\n<p>Dr. Frank Michitti is an award-winning family dentist in Agawam who has provided outstanding dentistry to patients of all ages for many years. With a warm, reassuring chairside manner, he\u2019s able to put any pediatric patient (and their parents) at ease. If you have any questions, he can be contacted via his <a href=\"https:\/\/www.lifetime.dental\/contact-us.html\">website<\/a> or at (413) 786-4400.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Childhood is full of firsts. The first words, first haircut, and first day of school are just a few examples of the many milestones your child will hit in their early years. Among all those firsts, one that you want to avoid is a first cavity! Fortunately, with modern preventative care and good hygiene practices [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v24.5 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/wordpress\/plugins\/seo\/ -->\n<title>Start Your Child Off Right With a Family Dentist in Agawam!<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"A lifetime of good oral health starts in childhood. 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