When Should Your Child Visit The Dentist For The First Time
The adage, “They’re just baby teeth” left many children with a mouthful of cavities or a serious build-up of plaque at age four or five when they saw a dentist for the first time. But in fact, a child’s baby teeth are very important to lifelong oral health.
The primary teeth:
- Help children chew properly to ensure good nutrition
- Are important to speech development
- Help save space for permanent teeth
West Gate Dental, a Lincoln family dentistry, recommends early dental visits to teach the proper techniques for brushing and flossing, helping parents learn the best ways to help care for their children’s teeth and developing a positive and routine association with going to the dentist.
Baby Teeth
Your child’s baby teeth typically start to come in between six and twelve months, but it could be earlier or later. During teething, babies often drool excessively, and they may also be fussy as teething can be uncomfortable. By the time your child reaches three years old, he will have 20 primary teeth, but you don’t want to wait until this point to visit the dentist, because good and early oral hygiene will protect the gums and foster a healthy environment for the teeth to grow.
When to Visit the Dentist
The American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry recommends that a child’s first visit to the dentist should occur by the time they are one year old. Children should continue seeing the dentist every six months or more often if they have any specific oral issues.
Your First Visit to West Gate Dental
When you bring your child into our Lincoln family dentistry office, we’ll first spend some time getting to know you and your child to establish a comfortable environment for your child. We will then conduct a gentle exam looking for early signs of tooth decay or any other issues. If your child needs any treatment, we will thoroughly review what is needed and why.
We will then discuss your child’s diet, eating habits, and good oral hygiene practices to prevent tooth decay. We will also provide you with tips for effective cleaning and brushing your child’s teeth.
Make an Appointment at our Lincoln Family Dentistry Office Today!
Your child’s first dental visit is very important to get them on the right track for good oral health. Contact our office to schedule your child’s first visit or use our online appointment request form. As your Lincoln family dentistry, our team will be happy to assist you and answer all of your questions.