FIRST VISIT BY AGE 1
It's important to incorporate healthy oral hygiene practices for your child at a young age. Tooth decay is the most common childhood disease. A tooth can become decayed as soon as it erupts so even by age 1, we see children with cavities. Parents often have the misconception that baby teeth will fall out and are not important. Some baby teeth do not fall out till a child is 11 or 12 years old. Baby teeth are very important for speech, nutrition, and for correct alignment of the future permanent teeth. Decay on baby teeth can lead not only to pain and infection, but can also damage developing permanent teeth.
The American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry recommends that children should visit the dentist after their first tooth erupts and no later than age 1. Our goal is to educate parents so that they can help prevent dental problems for their children. It has been proven that children who start dental visits early on are more likely to have positive views about dental visits in the future. Practice preventive dentistry! Your child will thank you for it!
WHAT TO EXPECT AT THE FIRST VISIT
Although you may feel that your child will not cooperate at a young age, rest assured, our Doctors and Staff are great with kids and are prepared with child-friendly strategies to help ease their time at our office. Young children can even sit on their parent's lap and watch a movie. Please let us know ahead of time if there is anything we can do to better accommodate your child to make this a positive dental visit for him/her.
During this visit we will:
- Check For Cavities
- Discuss Diet Recommendations
- Demonstrate Proper Brushing & Flossing Techniques
- Evaluate The Alignment Of Your Child’s Teeth
- Check For Gum Disease & Other Abnormalities
- Make Recommendations On How To Prevent Dental Problems
- Answer Any Questions You May Have
At age 1, we generally just do an initial exam. If your child is 2.5 yrs or older, your doctor, if necessary, may recommend a cleaning, fluoride treatment and x-rays.
PREPARE YOUR CHILD FOR THE FIRST VISIT
- To offer the best patient experience possible, we highly recommend scheduling your child's first visit with us in the morning during our quieter hours so that we can provide you and your child with the full attention and time you deserve.
- Schedule an appointment time when your child is alert and well rested. Children age 5 and younger are more cooperative in the mornings. Please avoid scheduling during your child’s routine nap and meal times.
- Read a book or watch a video with your child about visiting the dentist.
- Before your visit, explain to your child that the dentist will count his/her teeth.
- Role play at home! Practice laying your child down on the floor while brushing his/her teeth. You can even hold up a flashlight to pretend you are at the dentist's office.
- For children age 2 and older, using an electric toothbrush at home helps familiarize your child to the sounds and vibrations of the cleaning instruments used in our office. For your child's first electric toothbrush, have him/her choose a fun battery style toothbrush. Many colors and designs with fun characters are available for kids.