At what age should a child visit a dentist for the first
time?
It is generally recommended that an infant be seen
by a dentist by the age of 1 or within 6 months after his or her
first tooth comes in.
What happens at the first dental visit?
The first
dental visit is usually short and involves very little treatment.
This visit gives your child an opportunity to meet the dentist in a
non-threatening and friendly way. Some dentists may ask the parent
to sit in the dental chair and hold their child during the
examination. The parent may also be asked to wait in the reception
area during part of the visit so that a relationship can be built
between your child and the dentist.
During the examination, the dentist will check all of your
child's existing teeth for decay, examine your child's
bite, and look for any potential problems with the gums, jaw, and
oral tissues. If indicated, the dentist will clean any teeth and
assess the need for fluoride. He or she will also educate parents
about oral health care basics for children and discuss dental
developmental issues and answer any questions.
Topics your dentist may discuss with you might include:
- Good oral hygiene practices for your child's teeth and
gums
- Cavity prevention
- Fluoride needs
- Oral habits (thumb sucking, tongue thrusting, lip sucking)
- Developmental milestones
- Teething
- Proper nutrition
- Schedule of dental checkup visits. Many dentists like to see
children every 6 months to build up the child's comfort and
confidence level in visiting the dentist, to monitor the
development of the teeth, and to promptly treat any developing
problems.
It's important to know that the parent or legal guardian
who accompanies the child for this first visit will be asked to
complete medical and health information forms concerning the child.
Come prepared with the necessary information.
What's the difference between a pediatric dentist and a
regular dentist?
A pediatric dentist has at least two
additional years of training beyond dental school. The additional
training focuses on management and treatment of a child's
developing teeth, child behavior, physical growth and development,
and the special needs of children's dentistry. Although
either type of dentist is capable of addressing your child's
oral health care needs, a pediatric dentist, his or her staff, and
even the office décor are all geared to care for children
and to put them at ease. If your child has special needs, care from
a pediatric dentist should be considered. Ask your dentist or your
child's physician what he or she recommends for your
child.
When should children get their first dental
X-ray?
There is no hard and fast rule for when to start
getting dental x-rays. Some children who may be at higher risk for
dental problems (for example, those prone to baby bottle tooth
decay or those with cleft lip/palate) should have x-rays taken
earlier than others. Usually, most children will have had x-rays
taken by the age of 5 or 6. As children begin to get their adult
teeth (at about the age of 6), x-rays play an important role in
helping your dentist see if all of the adult teeth are growing in
the jaw, to look for bite problems, and to determine if teeth are
clean and healthy.