TL;DR
Most children should have a dental checkup and cleaning about every six months, starting by the first birthday. Children with a higher risk of cavities, such as those with past decay, braces or a sweet-drink habit, may need visits every three or four months. Each checkup includes a cleaning, an exam, fluoride when it’s helpful, and X-rays only when your child’s risk calls for them. Stone Falls Dental in O’Fallon uses low-radiation digital X-rays and intraoral cameras, so you can see what we see. Call between visits for pain, swelling or a broken tooth.
How often should a child have a dental checkup?
Most children should have a dental checkup about every six months. That’s a sensible default, not a fixed rule. The American Dental Association recommends setting the interval by each child’s risk, so a child with strong enamel and good habits may do well on that schedule while another needs to come in sooner.
Children’s teeth change quickly. Baby teeth have thinner enamel than adult teeth, so a small cavity can grow into a large one in a few months. New permanent teeth arrive from about age six onward, and each one is most vulnerable to decay in the first years after it comes in.
Regular visits let us follow those changes as they happen and treat small problems while they’re still small.
Why do some children need checkups more often?
Some children need checkups every three or four months because they’re more likely to develop cavities or gum problems. More frequent visits mean more frequent cleanings and fluoride, and a closer watch on any soft spots in the enamel. We’ll talk with you about your child’s risk at each visit.
- Cavities in the past year, or a parent or sibling with frequent decay
- Frequent snacking or sipping juice, soda or sports drinks
- Braces or other orthodontic appliances that trap plaque
- A medical condition or medication that causes dry mouth
- Deep grooves in the back teeth that haven’t been sealed
- Trouble brushing well because of age or a disability
What happens at a child’s dental checkup?
A child’s checkup combines a cleaning with a careful exam, and the visit adapts as your child grows. The hygienist removes plaque and tartar, polishes the teeth and, when it helps, applies fluoride varnish to strengthen the enamel.
The exam covers each tooth, the gums, the bite and the way adult teeth are coming in. We use intraoral cameras to show children and parents a close-up of a tooth on the screen, which makes a brushing tip much easier to take to heart. When the permanent molars arrive, we check whether dental sealants would protect their grooves.
We finish with a few words for your child and a few for you: what looks good, what to work on, and when we’d like to see them next.
How often do children need dental X-rays?
Children need dental X-rays only as often as their risk of decay calls for. A child with frequent cavities may need bitewing X-rays every six to twelve months, while a child with healthy teeth may go a year or two between them. Very young children often need none at all.
X-rays find decay between back teeth that no one can see by looking, and they show adult teeth developing beneath the baby teeth. At Stone Falls Dental we use low-radiation digital X-rays, and we take them only when the information will change what we do.
When should you call between checkups?
Call the office between checkups whenever your child has pain, swelling or an injury, rather than waiting for the next scheduled visit. Small problems in children’s teeth can move fast, and early care is usually simpler care.
- A toothache, or pain when chewing or with cold drinks
- Swelling in the gums or face, or a pimple-like bump on the gum
- A chipped, cracked, loosened or knocked-out tooth
- Brown or white spots that weren’t there before
- An adult tooth coming in behind a baby tooth that hasn’t fallen out
How do you book your child’s next checkup?
You can book by calling (618) 624-2800 or by sending an online appointment request, and our scheduling coordinator will call to confirm. Many families line up children’s visits with their own, so ask the front desk if you’d like to come in together.
Before the visit, our treatment coordinators can check your child’s dental benefits at no charge. We accept most plans, including TriCare and United Concordia, which many military families at nearby Scott Air Force Base carry. If your child hasn’t been to a dentist yet, start with our page on your child’s first dental visit.