Seeing our children laugh and smile is one of the greatest joys of being a parent. A big smile and a belly laugh are excellent indicators of your child’s disposition and overall health. But sometimes, a toothache can jeopardize that smile. Your child may be experiencing pain or discomfort related to tooth decay. And older children may feel ashamed to smile if they have a cavity, especially if it is noticeable. 

But does your child really need a dental crown? When is it the best option for getting your child back to smiling and laughing again?

Does my child need a crown?

While we may think our children are princesses and princes in and of themselves and deserving of a crown, the crown we’re talking about here is slightly different. A dental crown is placed on top of a damaged tooth, even if it’s a baby tooth. Crowns protect, cover, and restore teeth that are too damaged for a filling. So, a dental crown might be the best solution if your child has a large cavity or cracked tooth.

Crowns are a great way to restore your child’s teeth to good health. And your child’s oral health is critical to their overall health. Good oral health can help prevent future diseases. If your child needs a baby tooth crown, it’s not the end of the world. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), more than half of kids between the ages of six and eight have had at least one cavity in their baby teeth. 

#1 Best Dental Crown Prevention

Despite parents’ best efforts, things do happen and it’s not the end of the world. However, taking steps to help your child with a solid at-home oral health routine is a great way to reduce the risks of childhood cavities.

So be sure to instill these well-known oral care habits in your children.

• Brush your teeth twice a day for two minutes at a time using a soft-bristled toothbrush—the best time to brush the teeth is after breakfast and before bed.
• Floss between all teeth and behind the back teeth at least once per day—the best time to floss is before bed, after brushing the teeth.
• Rinse with a kid-friendly ADA-approved fluoridated mouthwash—rinse after flossing to help remove food particles that were loosened during the flossing process.
• Visit the dentist at least once every six months for a professional dental cleaning and oral evaluation.

Taking care of those baby teeth reduces plaque, prevents gum disease and tooth decay, and improves your child’s overall health. And with a healthy mouth, your child will miss less school and spend less time dealing with a painful cavity. This means they’ll be smiling and laughing as they enjoy being a kid. What parent doesn’t want that for their child?

The Benefits of a Big and Bright Smile, Dental Crown or Not 

Not only does smiling make us, as parents, feel good about our child’s well-being, but smiling also has other vital health benefits as well. Even though children are less likely to develop serious health issues when they are young compared to their adult counterparts, a healthy smile, even young in life, can reduce those risks later on. So, if your child has a healthy smile, they’ll be more likely to experience the following benefits.

• Improved self-confidence: a healthy smile (even with a dental crown) can improve your child’s confidence and make them more approachable to others (this means it will be easier for them to make new friends).
• Less stress: even kids face stress each day, but the more they smile, the easier they will manage.
• Better mood: we all know what it is like to deal with a moody kid, and moodiness is part of childhood. However, the more our child smiles, the more their mood will improve. So bring on the funnies and get your child laughing and smiling!
• Lower blood pressure: yes, even kids are at risk of high blood pressure. Though there are things you can do to help prevent this, such as ensuring your child doesn’t consume excessive salt and gets in some physical activity each day, smiling can also help!
• Boosted immune system: we all want our kids to be happy and healthy, and smiling provides the most natural boost to your child’s immune system possible. So bring on those smiles!

Does your child need a dental crown? Omaha Pediatric Dental Specialists can help.

If your child needs a crown, now is the time to find the best pediatric dentist near you. And if you live in or near Omaha, NE, our team can help. We offer both silver crowns and white crowns (tooth-colored crowns) and will partner with you, the parent, on the best solution to treat your child’s cavity. We are your partner from your child’s infancy through their adolescence and can provide a safe, comfortable dental experience. So take charge of your child’s oral health and request an appointment today with our associates in pediatric dentistry. We can’t wait to see you both!