Your Child’s First Dental Visit – All You Need to Know
Your child will go through many firsts in their life which includes baby’s first dentist visit. This is an exciting and perhaps a bit trying time for you and your child as they begin to sprout their first teeth. However, the child’s first dental visit will begin a relationship that will last with them the rest of their lives.
When Should My Child First Visit the Dentist?
Generally speaking, the first visit should be about six months after the baby teeth start appearing in the gums or when you child reaches 1 year old whichever is first. However, there are rare occasions when the child may have an issue with their teeth that may require an earlier visit.
What Happens During the First Visit?
For the most part the first visit is more of an introduction to the dentist with little more than a quick examination. The main purpose of the visit is really to introduce the dentist to the child in a friendly, non-threatening manner which will establish a positive bond. In many cases, the baby will sit in the lap of the dentist during the exam. There may also be a time in which the parent can leave the room in order for the dentist and child to bond more effectively so that the next visit will be a more pleasant one.
The exam itself is pretty rudimentary in that the baby’s teeth will be looked over for any signs of decay. However, the most important part will be the examination of the child’s bite to see if there are any issues with the jaw or gums as well as any other tissues in the mouth. In some cases, there may be a gentle cleaning of the teeth and an assessment if fluoride is needed to help in creating stronger baby teeth.
What Occurs After the Exam?
The final part of a child’s first dental visit mostly centers on discussing proper dental hygiene for the baby and whether fluoride will be needed to help strengthen their teeth. Once the report of the exam is finished, the next part will be about how the parents can help take care of their child’s teeth and educate them on the basics of brushing and flossing until the child can develop the motor skills to do that for themselves.
Another part that occurs after the baby’s first dental visit will be the dentist answering any questions from the parents. Quite often, parents will have relatively few questions when the examination starts, but during the discussion afterwards some natural questions will arise.
Questions You Should Ask the Dentist
There are some basic questions that you should ask the dentist unless the topics come up in the discussion which includes the following;
- Thumb and lip sucking
- Cavity prevention
- Teething
- Milestones in teeth development
- Best nutrition for the child
- Setting a schedule for further exams
Most dentists will want to see the child every six months in order to build up a healthy relationship and trust with them. Plus, the frequency of the visits will help the dentist spot any issues with the baby teeth in the early stages. In this manner, your child’s first dental visit will be a success.
Meet the dentist
Dr. Max Dawabsheh is a general dentist who believes in a play-based joyful dental experience. His goal is to provide a dental home for your kids. Our office has kids corner packed with toys and books. We offer certificates, prizes and brushing schedulers to make
the experience fun and stress-free. We also have TV and headphones to keep your little ones distracted. At the their first visit, we treat them to a ride in the dental chair, plus, give them an up-close look at how some of the ‘cool’ equipment works.