At What Age Should My Child Start Going to the Dentist?

Practicing good oral hygiene and getting your child into the routine of attending regular dental appointments from a young age is very important. Read on in this blog from Sprouting Smiles Pediatric Dentistry to find out when and why your child should go to the dentist in the first year of life.

How to Care for Your Child’s Oral Health In the First Year of Life

Before taking your child to a pediatric dentist in San Diego, you will still need to manage your child’s oral health, even before their teeth erupt. You should wipe their gums with a dampened soft cloth or gauze. This prepares your child for teeth brushing and removes bacteria. Once a tooth begins to erupt, you can use an infant toothbrush to gently brush the tooth in circular motions. 

When to Take Your Child to the Dentist

Your child’s first tooth will erupt during the first year of life. This can happen anywhere from 6 months to 1 year and girls usually develop their teeth faster than boys. If the tooth erupts before your child turns one year old, then this is when you should take them to the dentist. 

Otherwise, take your child to the dentist by their first birthday. At this appointment, the dentist will perform an oral exam and cleaning on the erupted tooth. They will look for signs of tooth decay and explain how you should keep an eye on their oral development and how to care for their teeth. 

This appointment is really important to make a good impression on your child’s view of the dentist. First impressions can make a big impact on the rest of a child’s life. Getting acquainted with the dentist and having them examine and clean their mouth will set them up for a healthy relationship with dental care.

How Often to Take Your Child to the Dentist

You should take your child to the dentist every 6 months starting from their first dental visit. This is important to remove plaque and tartar buildup and for early detection of tooth decay, gum disease, and oral cancer. 

In between your child’s dental visits, you should be brushing their teeth twice a day with fluoride toothpaste and flossing once a day. Children under 3 should only use a grain of rice-sized amount of fluoride to prevent fluorosis. Children 3 to 6 years old should use a pea-sized amount.

How to Prepare Your Child for Their First Dental Visit

Since your child’s first dental visit can have long-term effects on their mental associations with the dentist, only speak positively about the dentist and avoid using negative language or scary words like “pain” or “needles”. 

Even if you are an adult who hates going to the dentist or has dental anxiety, you should avoid showing this to your child because children pick up on verbal and body language cues and mirror their parents’ behavior. If they do develop anxiety, there are options like pediatric dental sedation that can help. Talk to our experienced dentist about options.

We suggest that you prepare your child by talking to them about going to the dentist. Talk about how fun it will be to count their teeth and have a checkup. Read them a story about going to the dentist or give their favorite stuffed animal a checkup to show them there’s nothing to worry about.

You can let them bring the stuffed animal to their real checkup for comfort. Reward a good and cooperative dental visit with positive reinforcement like a trip to the park. Pediatric dental offices will let your child tour the dental office before their appointment so that they can meet the dentist and get more comfortable with our office. 

Schedule their appointment strategically. Avoid scheduling their appointment when they would normally eat a meal or be napping.

Schedule Your Child’s First Check Up At Sprouting Smiles Pediatric Dentistry

Has your child’s first tooth come through or have they just turned one year old? Contact us today to schedule an appointment with Dr. Yang. 

As a pediatric dentist, she’s great with children and knows how to speak in a child-friendly way to make them feel comfortable. Your child is in great hands with Dr. Yang and will look forward to future routine visits where they can learn how many teeth they have.

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