You want to protect your child’s health. While you can’t ensure they’ll never get injured or sick, you can be proactive about safeguarding their oral health, and Davette Johnson-Harris, DDS, at Lakewood Kids Dentistry in Houston, is here to partner with you. With years of preventive dentistry experience serving kids of all ages, she helps you protect your child’s teeth and mouth. Get started with preventive dentistry by calling the office or by booking your child’s appointment online.
What is preventive dentistry?
With an emphasis on preventive dentistry for each of her patients, Dr. Johnson-Harris strives to ward off oral health problems before they arise. Through regular dental cleanings and checkups, sealants, fluoride and silver diamine fluoride, plus personalized care based on the needs of your son or daughter’s unique mouth, she helps them keep their teeth and mouth as clean and healthy as possible.
With preventive dentistry, Dr. Johnson-Harris takes proactive measures to avoid:
- Cavities
- Gum diseases like gingivitis or periodontitis
- Weakened tooth enamel
- Tooth sensitivity
- Halitosis (bad breath)
How does preventive dentistry work?
One of the keys in successful preventive dentistry is regularly visiting Lakewood Kids Dentistry. Dr. Johnson-Harris can only keep your child’s teeth healthy when she has regular opportunities to thoroughly check them.
Routine visits to her office allow her to identify any potential issues, like tooth decay or gum inflammation, early on. This way, she can employ treatment when it’s most effective. And, because the issue is addressed before it has had the opportunity to advance, the early treatment also saves your child from complications like toothaches and gum sensitivity or uncomfortable dental procedures.
During a preventive dentistry appointment, your child can expect:
- A visual exam of their teeth, gums, lips, cheeks, and throat
- A professional cleaning and polishing
- X-rays — as needed
- Answers to their questions about their teeth
Generally, Dr. Johnson-Harris recommends that her patients come in every six months. But she tailors her recommendations to your child’s mouth. For example, if she notices the beginnings of gum disease, she may recommend more regular appointments as she works to stop the spread of the disease and restore health to your child’s gums.
Is preventive dentistry just for kids?
No, of course not, but part of Dr. Johnson-Harris’s goal with preventive dentistry is to set her patients up for a lifetime of oral health. Getting them in the habit of biannual dental appointments at a young age encourages them to continue regularly visiting their dentist as adults.
She also uses each appointment to help her patients develop healthy at-home preventive practices. This includes properly brushing their teeth at least twice a day, flossing in between every tooth, and making good food choices to protect their enamel long-term. Dr. Johnson-Harris believes that teaching kids about their oral health now supports lifelong oral hygiene.
To get started with preventive dentistry at Lakewood Kids Dentistry, call their office or schedule your child’s appointment online.