When Should My Child Have Their First Dental Appointment?

It is sometimes challenging to determine the best time to take the child for his or her first dentist appointment. So much information is available over the web, which sometimes provides different recommendations. Some may recommend that a child is taken to the dentist after all the baby teeth have erupted, which may be as early as when the child is between 2 and 3 years of age, while others will recommend going in early just if the child is experiencing problems with their teeth.

Now, let us go deeper into this and consider the most appropriate time for a child to visit a dentist for the first time with Winnie Pediatric Dentist.

When should I take my child for a dental appointment?

A question new parents have is, “At what age should I bring my child to the dentist?” The American Association of Pediatric Dentists says that young children should be taken to the dentist when their first baby teeth grow in or before their first birthday. While this may sound like a very young age, this visit is important to examine the child’s teeth for any signs of decay or problems and to ensure the teeth are coming in correctly. Teething can start at 6 months, and your first dental appointment should also be near this duration.

For example, cavities in teeth rank as the biggest childhood disease, even though they can be averted in almost all cases. Most of the time, children come in for their first time for a checkup at three or four years, or even five years, and they already have cavities and tooth decay that could have been solved if they had been checked. That is why it is very instructive to start them young!

Knowing What to Expect During the Visit

The first thing a parent should do is ensure that his or her child feels at ease. Therefore, calming them down before the visit can lessen their aggressiveness, hence being willing to cooperate. We at Winnie Pediatric Dental have a kids’ playroom fully equipped with playthings and toys, mostly those related to dentistry, to help them feel at home when they come to the clinic.
Everyone on our team enjoys working with the children, too, so when your kid is going to sit on the dental chair, he or she will most likely have already made several new friends.

Here’s what you can expect during the appointment:

• Discuss how to brush (frequently, which brush and paste to use, and for how long).
• Teething and thumb sucking are two common challenges to resolve by consulting the appropriate dental health expert.
• Good dietary habits are recommended to enhance oral and dental health
  An analysis of how the teeth fit and how they will align when your child begins to bite on food.
• The first meeting might not necessarily involve a full cleaning, but it will set the foundation for your child’s feelings about the dentist. You should anticipate the dentist to examine the mouth, which can require a look at your child’s teeth, gums, jaw bite, and other problems.

Tips to make your child’s first dentist visit easier

• By reading up and role-playing: Find stories or videos about visiting the dentist and role-playing with a furry animal or doll touring the mouth, looking at teeth, and brushing them.
• Use positive language: In simple terms, reassure your child that a dentist is another kind of doctor who helps create healthy, solid teeth; do not go into much detail about the visit since this might add more confusion than clarity.
• Come prepared: Give your child something to play with or read for the time spent in the waiting area or on the dentist’s chair, but avoid crunchy or cheesy snacks such as cheesy puffs that would deposit powdery substance on teeth.
• Plan a treat: Parents can take their toddler to the playground after the dental visit to redirect the child’s attention to the positive.
• Stay relaxed: Sometimes, your anxiety or fears about the dentist are more apparent than you think and can easily be picked by a perceptive toddler. Also, to avoid cases where you end up disciplining your child when you are furious, it is important that your child will also be happy if you are happy.
• Be a good cheerleader: As often as possible, praise your kid; when he/she refuses to cooperate, try to be understanding and not harsh. And remember, he could scream and throw a temper tantrum while in the middle of a checkup; it would not faze an experienced pediatric dentist.

It is also important to schedule the appointment for a time that fits the child’s nap and eating habits. If the visit coincides with their nap time right in the middle of the visit, you would expect things to go sour. Same thing if it’s near lunchtime. Paying a visit around a time convenient for the child will be more enjoyable.

Moreover, do not hesitate to ask questions or to state your worries or doubts. Of course, it is crucial to check the child’s mouth and make some conclusions about their oral health, but it may also be important that both parents and children feel rather comfortable while doing it. Eliminating fears from the onset enables your children not to be scared of dentists and will continue to make those trips while fostering good habits as they grow into adults.

Summing It Up

If your child is due for a checkup, our personnel at Winnie Pediatric Dentist do all they can to make the first dental visit your child will ever make as comfortable as possible. If you are willing to make an appointment or want to know more, please contact us as soon as possible.