When To Take Your Child to a Dentist

Photo: Quang Tri Nguyen

Are you a new parent and want to make sure that you are giving your children the best care? Have you heard different things from different people and want to know when you should take them to the dentist?

Dental hygiene is something that a lot of people take for granted. It is incredibly important for not only the health of your mouth but also your overall health. These days, many people are affected by dental problems and many of these issues are caused by early dental hygiene.

It’s no surprise that a lot of kids like going to the dentist but it shouldn’t be an option for them not to go. A lot of parents don’t know what they should take their kids to the dentist for the first time, so read below to find out more.

When To Take Them?

Taking your children to the dentist is not something that you should forget, and once you start taking them, you should continue to take them at least once a year for a general checkup and dental cleaning. If you or your child are having a dental emergency in Edmonton, there are many places to go to, such as Edmonton Emergency Dentists, among others. Many people think that when children still have their baby teeth or their milk teeth, there is no reason to take them to the dentist because these teeth will just fall out anyway. However, dentistry is more than just making sure you have clean teeth and filling in your cavities.

It is said by multiple medical associations, that you should take your child to the dentist for the first time when their first tooth comes in. For most children, this is around 6 months old. You can take them to Dentist Midland for the best service.

You should not wait until their first birthday to do this. If even before you see the first tooth in your child’s mouth, you notice white spots or bleeding, you should take your child to the pediatric dentist as soon as you can. This Dentist In Huntington Beach is amazing with kids.

Why Take Them?

As mentioned above, many people don’t take their children to the dentist until they have lost their milk teeth because they aren’t concerned about the health of the teeth that will just fall out anyway.

However, research shows that tooth decay affects 1 in every 5 children who haven’t even turned 5 yet. This could be caused by a multitude of things, but the most common factor is not brushing your teeth properly.

By taking your child to a dentist, such as Fresh Dental, a children dentist in Winnipeg, even at such a young age, the dentist can help them avoid or reduce tooth decay, as well as be able to diagnose and treat any dental conditions.

Who To See Before Then?

Before you start taking your child to a dentist, or even a pediatric dentistry professional, the person that you should be visiting is the pediatrician. A child’s doctor should be able to assist you with all kinds of oral issues and oral hygiene before the child has any teeth.

Pediatricians can help you with all the basics as you are unlikely to need anything more than that before your child’s first tooth comes in. It is even said that you can visit the pediatrician for a check-up here and there, but you should never substitute this for a proper and full dental exam. If you don’t yet have a dentist for your child, you can ask your pediatrician for a referral to a dental practice that will be infant-friendly and accommodate your small child.

How To Prepare

When preparing your child for their very first dentist appointment, there are a few things that you can do to make the process both wither for you and the dentist, when looking for a specialist, check out this Roy dentist office. Before their teeth start making their way out, you should be cleaning their gums gently with some gauze and water. This will remove any excess from breastfeeding.

Other steps that you can take to make the experience more comfortable for your baby is to show them some videos of other children having their dental checkups. This will show them that it is normal and nothing to be afraid of.

You could also fill out your paperwork beforehand so you don’t have to wait in the waiting room for too long. Lastly, you should prepare a list of questions you might have for the dentist about basic oral hygiene for babies so that you can get a better understanding of what to do.

2 Comments

  1. Thanks for the tip that I should also consult with a pediatrician first when it comes to taking my kid to the dentist. I’d like to look for a kids’ dental cleaning services soon because I noticed that my sons teeth aren’t that white. It seems that there might also be some semi-permanent stains to deal with.

  2. Wow, I never knew that tooth decay could affect children at such young ages as 5 years old. That sounds a lot quicker than I expected, so it might be a good idea to start developing regular routines with my son. I’ll make sure I have a pediatric dentist help my son get regular checkups as early as now.

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About the Author: Brian Novak