When is the right time to first take your child to the dentist? The answer is when the first tooth erupts in the mouth, no later between one and two! The first visit isn’t about doing real work, it’s to help familiarize the child, create comfortability, association, and trust with their dentist. They’ll get to meet some of the staff, get associated with the office, the chair, and tools that will be around them. Only after they have settled in will the dentist take a look at their mouth.
The dentist will look for a few things in particular:
- decay
- gum health
- jaw & bite
- bottle caries
- frenum issues
- problems that can affect teeth and/or speech patterns
From the first visit onwards, we recommend the child comes in every 6 months (with exception to issues that need correction ie. a lisp, mouth breathing, or teeth grinding).
How to protect your child’s oral health at home:
Until the child is old enough to take responsibility of their oral health, it is important as parents to provide proper oral hygiene care. It is important to do so from the day your child is born.
- Clean your infant’s gums with a clean, damp cloth after each feeding
- As soon as the first teeth come in, begin brushing them with a small, soft-bristled toothbrush andwater. If you are considering using toothpaste before your child’s second birthday, ask your dentist first
- To avoid baby bottle tooth decay and teeth misalignment due to sucking, try to wean your child off of the breast and bottle by one year of age, and monitor excessive sucking of pacifiers, fingers and thumbs. Never give your child a bottle of milk, juice or sweetened liquid as a pacifier at naptime or bedtime
- Help a young child brush at night, the most important time to brush, due to lower salivary flow and higher susceptibility to cavities. Perhaps let the child brush their teeth first to build self-confidence, then the parent can follow up to ensure that all plaque is removed. Usually by age 5 or so, the child can learn to brush his or her own teeth with proper parental instruction
- The best way to teach a child how to brush is to lead by good example, allowing your child to watch you brush your teeth teaches the importance of good oral hygiene
Sources: When Should My Child First See a Dentist? , When To Take A Child To A Dentist For The First Time
