When should children go to the dentist?

Did you know that bringing your child to the dentist helps detect issues early on and increases their chances of having a healthy oral future?

We recommend bringing your child for their first dental visit when their first baby tooth erupts in the mouth, and no later than two years of age.

It is also known that children who have dental checkups early on become more comfortable with visiting the dentist. Especially as they are exposed to the different treatments and oral care provided.

After the initial appointment, it is important to bring your child along every six months for regular dental checkups, or sooner if requested by the dentist.

Why children’s dental check-ups are important:

Detecting problems early on is important, so that we can prepare a treatment plan early on for them. This allows you, as a parent, to know what kind of dental health issues your child may have, and what you may need to plan for in the future.

The dentist will also provide useful information about common problems associated with children’s dentistry.

The dentist can provide information about:

• Infant feeding practices
• Teething (emergence of teeth)
• Mouth cleaning
• Finger-sucking habits
• Baby bottle tooth decay (prolonged exposure to sugar containing liquids – including milk, juices and other sweetened drinks)
• Pacifier habits (dummy)
• Home care (brushing and flossing)

How to prepare your child

Did you know it’s best to bring your young children to the dentist in the morning if possible, as this is the best time, since they are more fresh and alert.

You should be talking to your child and educating them on why visiting the dentist is so important and how exciting it is to maintain a healthy mouth.

It is also important to prepare yourself too, because you may have worries about visiting the dentist yourself. It’s common for children to pick up parent’s anxieties, so you must make sure you are there as moral support. As you do not want your child to fear the dentist.

During the consultations you must

Try to remain calm and provide the dentist with your child’s medical history and how the child acts.

It’s important for the dentist to know how the child behaves as they need to know how the child may react to having a cavity filled or another dental treatment.

On the first visit, we will examine your child’s mouth and depending on the age, the dentist may perform a full examination of the teeth, jaws, gums, bite and oral tissues to examine the growth and development. X-rays may be advised so that the dentist can see whether adult teeth are being affected by the baby teeth.

This allows potential issues to be spotted early and allows both you and the dentist to prepare for your child’s future dental treatments and health.

Our friendly team at Kitchener Street Dental are there to manage your child’s dental health and ensure they have the best chances of good oral health in the future. If you would like to arrange a consultation or find out more information on children’s dentistry, please contact us here.