Most children see a dentist far later than is recommended by both dental and medical professionals.
Many parents wait until there’s a dental issue before they seek dental care.
The American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry (AAPD) recommends that a child goes to the dentist by age 1 or within six months after the first tooth erupts. Primary teeth typically begin growing in around 6 months of age.
Why are the primary teeth “Milk teeth” important?
It is very important to keep primary (or “milk”) teeth in place and healthy until they are lost naturally.
There’s a dire need for more oral health education to teach practices, such as proper techniques for brushing and flossing, that will ensure lifelong oral health.
The first dentist visit is a great opportunity for parents to learn how best to care for their children’s teeth.
The primary teeth are important for many reasons including:
- Helping children chew properly to maintain good nutrition.
- Involvement in speech development.
- Helping save space for permanent teeth.
- Promoting a healthy smile that helps children feel good about the way they look.
How to prepare you little one for their first dental visit.
If you begin taking your children to the dentist around the time the first tooth erupts, then they are probably too young to be nervous.
But if you’ve waited until your child is older (e.g. 2 years), then he or she may have some anxiety at the time of the first visit.
What’s the best way to prepare your child for the noisy machinery, sharp instruments, and a stranger telling him or her to “open wide”?
Give your child a sneak preview.
Take your child with you for your next checkup to see you having your teeth examined and cleaned.
Learn more about it. Lots of books and online resources, www.mysmilekids.com, are geared toward teaching children (through stories and fun activities) more about dental health and dentist visits.
Play around.
Take turns being the dentist and the patient with your child.
Examine each other’s teeth with a mirror or use your fingers to count each other’s teeth so that your child will be familiar with the feel of a dentist examination.
Timing is everything.
Plan plenty of time so that the dental visit isn’t rushed, and make sure your child is well-rested before the visit so that he or she feels relaxed and comfortable.
For your infant and toddler dental visit
We usually have the parent and child participate in a knee-to-knee exam where the child sits in his parent’s lap and leans back into the lap of the dentist for examination.
We will also demonstrate proper brushing techniques for your child so that you can keep his/her teeth clean and sparkly at home. Of course, no visit is complete without a trip to the prize bin.
Many parents are concerned that their infant or toddler may cry at their first visit.
While we make every effort possible to ensure that your infant or toddler’s visit is as happy as possible, some children do react to a trip to the dentist with fear or crying.
This is normal behavior and the doctor and staff will comfort your child to make the appointment as happy as possible.
We always make sure to praise your child for the things that they have done well and rewarded the visit with a prize and a balloon!