A Child’s First Pediatric Dentist Visit

It is a known fact that babies grow up far too quickly. Major milestones occur before you know it! It starts with baby’s first laugh, then their first steps, then they’re off to college! It feels like that doesn’t it?

Their teeth will also come in very quickly, which means the first trip to the dentist is right around the corner. While a dental check-up is certainly not on the list of cutest baby moments, it is a very important step for the health of your child’s teeth.

We put together a list of important things to keep in mind when the time comes for a child to meet their dentist.

When

Obviously, there should be enough teeth in order to justify actually seeing a dentist. But how soon is too soon? Or too late? Most professionals recommend that the first visit take place by the time the child is 12 months old. Timing can be tough since dental insurance can be tough to come by but many dentist offices offer in-house plans.

It is an exciting time to see those young teeth come in, a process commonly referred to as eruption. Since the eruption process varies so much with each child another suggestion is scheduling the first visit within 6 months of the first tooth erupting. While this might seem very early to visit a pediatric dentist, there are some important things that come from that first visit.

What to Expect

Depending on a child’s age the first visit could include a full exam of their teeth and gums along with their jaw and bite. It is very helpful to get a complete understanding of a child’s mouth early on. This allows for early intervention if anything is out of place. The first visit is too early for most restorative treatment but recognizing problems early allows parents to make a plan for the future.

A child’s first dentist appointment is a great way for the child to meet their pediatric dentist in a friendly and casual way. If a child can have a positive first experience then the chances of them fearing the dentist will decrease to promote regular visits and check-ups in the future.

At Home Care

We have established that an early visit to a pediatric dentist is an important step towards a healthy mouth and helps in early detection and prevention of potential problems. While the benefits are clear and hard to out-weigh they are still second to developing regular brushing habits at home.

A good pediatric dentist will make it clear that even regular dental check-ups won’t help if proper dental hygiene is not taught at home. This first visit is very beneficial for parents as well since the dentist will share helpful tips to help protect their children’s teeth.

Teaching your children the importance of brushing and flossing is the best thing you can do for their future oral health and your pediatric dentist is an invaluable resource to help you do that.