Preventive dental care for kids is the routine care that stops cavities before they start: an exam with the dentist, a professional cleaning, fluoride and sealants. At Frisco Mini Molars, Dr. Laura Mitchell, a board-certified pediatric dentist, and our hygiene team provide all four at our office on Eldorado Parkway in Frisco, TX. The exam and cleaning happen at every six-month visit; fluoride and sealants are added when your child needs them.
Dr. Mitchell’s goal is to prevent tooth decay instead of treating it later. A checkup clears away the plaque that causes cavities, finds trouble while it is small and adds protection where a child’s teeth are most at risk.
What Does Preventive Dental Care Include for Kids?
Each preventive service does a different job.
| Service | What it does | How often |
|---|---|---|
| Exam with Dr. Mitchell | Checks teeth, gums, bite and development; looks for early decay | Every six months, from the first birthday |
| Professional cleaning | Removes plaque and tartar, then polishes the teeth | Every six months |
| Fluoride treatment | Helps re-mineralize weak spots in enamel | At checkups, based on cavity risk |
| Dental sealants | Coats the chewing surfaces of the molars | Placed once, checked at visits |
| Digital X-rays | Show surfaces between teeth the eye can’t see | As recommended, starting around age 4 |
Not every child needs every service at every visit. Dr. Mitchell decides on fluoride, sealants and X-rays based on each child’s age, cavity risk and exam.
What Happens During a Kids’ Dental Exam in Frisco?
The exam is where Dr. Mitchell checks your child’s teeth, gums, bite and soft tissues. In young children, she is also watching how the mouth develops: whether baby teeth are coming in and falling out on schedule and whether there is room for the permanent teeth behind them.
The exam catches decay early, often before your child feels anything, when a cavity usually needs a smaller, simpler fix. If the exam does turn up a cavity, Dr. Mitchell talks it through with you, and treatment, such as tooth-colored fillings for kids, is planned together.
When does my child start dental X-rays?
We recommend that children start X-rays around age 4. X-rays show the surfaces between the teeth, where cavities often hide. At the exam, Dr. Mitchell reads the X-rays together with what she sees in your child’s mouth to decide whether any decay is present. Our office uses digital X-rays and an intraoral camera, which gives a close-up view of individual teeth.
What Happens During a Pediatric Dental Cleaning?
A cleaning at a pediatric office moves at a child’s pace. Our hygienist explains each step in kid-friendly words and uses tools designed for smaller mouths. The cleaning itself has three parts:
- Removing plaque and tartar. The hygienist clears buildup from the spots a toothbrush tends to miss, especially along the gumline and around the back teeth.
- Polishing. A gentle polish leaves the teeth smooth, which makes it harder for new plaque to stick.
- Coaching. Kids practice brushing and flossing with the hygienist, and parents get tips for brushing at home.
Wendi Spece, RDH, our registered dental hygienist, has practiced dental hygiene since 2003. She loves teaching kids proper brushing and flossing, and she works to make it fun for them.
How Does Fluoride Protect Children’s Teeth?
Fluoride helps re-mineralize weakened spots in tooth enamel, making teeth more resistant to the acids that cause cavities. At a six-month visit, the hygienist applies topical fluoride to the teeth after the cleaning.
Dr. Mitchell believes strongly in the benefits of fluoride and follows the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry (AAPD) guidelines for its use. That means fluoride is matched to the child. She weighs your child’s cavity risk factors and makes fluoride recommendations from that personal assessment. For some children, she may also recommend a fluoride treatment to use at home.
At home, the main fluoride question is toothpaste. Teach your child to spit out toothpaste after brushing so they don’t swallow too much fluoride. If your child is too young to spit, ask us about the right toothpaste and amount for their age.
What Are Dental Sealants and Does My Child Need Them?
Sealants are a thin protective coating placed on the chewing surfaces of the back teeth (molars). Those surfaces are full of grooves and pits where food and bacteria collect and where a toothbrush has a hard time reaching. A sealant covers the grooves so decay has fewer places to start.
Placing sealants is quick and involves no drilling: the tooth is cleaned and dried, the sealant is painted on, and a light hardens it. According to the CDC, sealants on back teeth prevent about 80% of cavities for two years and keep protecting against about 50% of cavities for up to four years.
Dr. Mitchell may recommend sealants when your child’s molars are in and their grooves look hard to keep clean. Sealants are checked at regular visits to make sure they are still in place.
How Often Should Kids See the Dentist for Checkups?
The AAPD and the ADA recommend a routine checkup every six months. The AAPD also recommends a first dental visit by a child’s first birthday or within six months of the first tooth coming in, whichever happens first. Our first baby visits are built for that milestone. Dr. Mitchell does a gentle exam, and the team may do a cleaning if your child is ready for one. You also talk through habits like bottle feeding, pacifier use and thumb sucking.
From there, six-month visits let us catch areas of concern early, so treatment can stay as conservative as possible. We see children from age 1 through 16, so your child can keep the same dental home from the first tooth into the teen years.
How Can Parents Keep Teeth Healthy Between Visits?
Cleanings, fluoride and sealants work best alongside good habits at home:
- Brush twice a day. Use a soft-bristled brush held at a 45-degree angle to the gumline and gentle circular motions, then brush the tongue.
- Start flossing early. Begin flossing as soon as any two teeth touch, and help your child until they can do it alone. Don’t skip the very back teeth.
- Clean baby teeth from the start. For infants, wipe plaque from the teeth and gums with a wet gauze or clean washcloth.
- Watch the bedtime bottle. A bottle with anything other than water at bedtime can lead to baby bottle tooth decay.
- Protect teeth during sports. Active kids can get custom-fit mouthguards to guard against injuries.
Our brushing and flossing guide walks through each step.
Who Will Your Child See at Frisco Mini Molars?
Checkups only work if kids are happy to come back, so our office has a play corner, a coloring table, iPads, a prize wall and TVs streaming movies.
Dr. Laura Mitchell completed her dental degree at Baylor College of Dentistry, Texas A&M Health Science Center, and her pediatric dental residency at Cincinnati Children’s Hospital. She received the Richard C. Pugh Award for scoring in the top 3% nationwide on the written pediatric dental board exam, and she is a member of the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry. You can read more about Dr. Mitchell and our team.
Our office is at Eldorado Parkway and the Dallas North Tollway, next to Market Street. For everything else we offer, from fillings to emergencies, see our pediatric dentistry services in Frisco.
Frequently Asked Questions About Kids’ Preventive Dental Care
Why do baby teeth need cleanings if they fall out anyway?
Because many of them stay a long time. The front four baby teeth last until about age 6 or 7, but the back baby teeth usually stay in place until 11 or 12. Baby teeth hold space for the permanent teeth and help with chewing and speech, and a neglected cavity can cause problems as permanent teeth develop. Read more on why baby teeth matter.
Is fluoride safe for my child?
Yes, in the right amounts. The concern with fluoride is swallowing too much of it over time, not the topical treatment the hygienist applies at a checkup. At home, a pea-sized amount of fluoride toothpaste is enough once your child is old enough not to swallow it.
When can my child brush without help?
Most children can brush their own teeth twice a day by age 4 or 5, with a parent watching. By 7 or 8, they should be able to brush thoroughly on their own. Not sure? Dr. Mitchell can check your child’s brushing at their next visit.
What does the In-House Membership Plan include?
The In-House Membership Plan is a yearly plan priced by your child’s age. Every tier includes up to two cleanings, two fluoride treatments and two exams with Dr. Mitchell a year, all X-rays and 20% off all treatments. For questions about your dental insurance, call our office.
What if my child is nervous about the dentist?
That’s common, and it’s one reason we like to meet children early. Each calm checkup builds trust, and our team explains every step in kid-friendly words before doing it. A first visit starts with a tour of the office, so your child knows what to expect.
Schedule Your Child’s Cleaning and Exam in Frisco, TX
If your child is due for a checkup, or hasn’t had a first dental visit yet, we’d love to see them. Request an appointment online or call (214) 872-3434. Frisco Mini Molars is at 5110 Eldorado Parkway, Suite 600, Frisco, TX 75033.