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SIHF Healthcare Reminds Parents of the Importance of Dental Care for Children
SIHF Healthcare is reminding parents of the importance of dental care for children. This comes in an effort to raise awareness as February is National Children’s Dental Health Month.
“You should begin teaching good oral health habits to your children from the time their very first toothgrows in,” says Anthony Chin, DMD at SIHF Healthcare, #2 Terminal Drive in Bethalto. “Parents often disregard dental care for their children because they know baby teeth will eventually fall out - which is true. But baby teeth have the important job of reserving the spaces for children’s permanent teeth. Their mouth, overall, must be healthy enough to hold and support a child’s adult teeth and that kind of oral care starts with the parents.”
Once a child turns one year old, parents should begin scheduling regular dental visits. Just as with an adult visit, a child’s dentist will give their teeth thorough cleanings to remove plaque build-up and food debris they cannot remove on their own. By allowing a dentist to conduct bi-annual cleanings on your child’s teeth, the chances of bacteria growing and causing pain, discomfort, or disease are less and less.
At SIHF Healthcare, the dental team provides quality oral healthcare for children ages 2 - 21. For these dentists, the care they provide goes beyond simply fixing a dental problem. They strive to minimize any pain and maximize each patient’s comfort while in the dentist chair. For more information about SIHF’s dental services or to schedule an appointment for your child, click here.
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About SIHF Healthcare
SIHF Healthcare operates a network of more than 30 health centers across 11 Illinois counties with more than 160 medical providers who deliver comprehensive health care services including: adult, family, women’s health, pediatrics, pediatric dental services, behavioral health, and population health services. As one of the largest Federally Qualified Health Center networks in the country, SIHF Healthcare is devoted to leading individuals and communities to their healthiest lifestyle regardless of their ability to pay. For more information, visit www.sihf.org.