Why Families Around Fairfield Park Bring Their Kids To A Local Dentist For Cavity Prevention

Fairfield Park is a great place to raise a family. You’re close to the University of Manitoba and all of the unique experiences that it offers to kids through Mini U. There’s a Superstore right in your neighbourhood, and a Sobey’s nearby. There are great restaurants like Gol’s Lanzhou Noodle just a short walk or drive down Pembina. There are parks all around, and kids can access them without having to cross the highway.

The same things that probably attracted you to the area in the first place are the things that make seeing a local dentist worthwhile. It’s convenient. It’s safe. It’s a way to connect with people who live and work in your community.

Why Bring Your Child To The Dentist?

Dental care is so important for kids that children under three get their first dental exam for free in Manitoba. Getting dental care early helps:

Alleviate dental anxiety
Prevent cavities and oral health diseases
Ensure that baby teeth and adult teeth are coming in properly

Here’s what happens when your child visits the dentist:

Quick Oral Exam

Your child’s dentist will perform a quick but thorough oral exam. This exam is about more than just ensuring that teeth are healthy; the dentist will also count teeth, check for signs of gum disease, assess whether or not your child could benefit from dental sealants on their back teeth, and check whether or not habits like thumb-sucking or tooth grinding are affecting your child’s oral health.

Gentle Cleaning

Cleanings for kids' teeth are gentler than adult teeth cleanings. The focus is on education and cavity prevention; kids don’t usually have enough tartar buildup to warrant deeper cleanings, and baby teeth are more fragile than adult teeth. Specialized pediatric cleaning tools are used to ensure comfort, and a fluoride treatment and sealant may be applied.

Cavity Risk Assessment

Childhood cavities are common in Canada; a study which collected data between March 2007 and February 2009 found that 57% of 6 to 11-year-olds have or have had a cavity, while 59% of 12 to 19-year-olds have or have had a cavity. Though this study is somewhat dated, it was produced by Health Canada, which makes it one of the most trustworthy surveys we have available.

Kids get cavities. Assessing their risk of developing cavities can help you and your child’s dental care team prevent cavities from occurring. Tools like The Canadian Caries Risk Assessment Tool (CCRAT) - which was developed right here in Manitoba - can help our clinic determine your child’s risk of getting cavities.

How Kid-Friendly Dentists Build Trust

There are so many ways that dentists can build rapport with kids! Here are a few techniques that you might expect from the dentists at our clinic:

A warm, friendly greeting
Age-appropriate explanations of questions
The use of child-sized dental instruments to promote comfort throughout the appointment
A Tell-Show-Do approach, where we tell your child what a dental instrument or technique is by using child-friendly terms, show them what the procedure will look like (by demonstrating on stuffed animals and letting them touch the tools), and then actually performing the procedure.
Give your child stickers or other goodies to keep them motivated!

How To Choose A Local Family-Friendly Dentist For Cavity Prevention

Finding a family-friendly dentist near Fairfield Park is easy! Here are a few tips:

Talk to your neighbours and friends in the area; ask if they’ve got recommendations for dentists who see patients of all ages.
Look up “family dentist near Fairfield Park,” “children’s dentist near me,” “family dentist near the U of M,” or similar terms; look at the results and the reviews.
Visit the websites of nearby dentists and check to see if they have services like “family dentist.”
Call dental clinics and ask if they offer the first visit for free for children under 3.

Looking for a family dentist in Winnipeg that’s close to home? Call Fresh Dental today; we’d be glad to be your family dentist!