When Should I Start Taking My Child to the Dentist?
Posted on January 13, 2022
A dentist for children should be a part of your child’s healthcare team. According to the CDC, about 42% of children aged two to eleven will develop cavities. Dental health problems are the cause of millions of missed educational hours in school each year. A dentist for children will help ensure that your little one’s oral health is in great shape and that it stays that way.
The First Dental Visit
Your child should start seeing a dentist for children around the age of one. At that age, most of the primary teeth will be in place. It is important that your child starts seeing a dentist early for a few different reasons.
Early Interventions Improve Success
At your child’s first visit, the dentist will inspect your child’s teeth and overall oral health, talk to you about your child’s diet, and make note of any concerns. It is important that you establish care with a dentist early on so that the dentist can set up a baseline for your child’s oral health and become familiar with your child’s oral health progress.
Establishing a relationship with a dental care provider early on will ensure that, if there are any changes in oral health, the dentist will recognize those changes and be able to intervene early on. For example, your child’s dentist may notice that your child is grinding their teeth and needs to be fitted for a mouth guard. Early intervention can prevent further damage and even reverse the course of cavities and other dental issues.
It Normalizes Oral Health Care for Your Child
Starting your child on the path to good oral health early will normalize going to the dentist and reduce the risk of your child developing a fear of the dentist. If your child sees the dentist starting at age one, by the time they are school age, it will be part of their normal routine to visit the dentist.
Ensuring that your child gets the care that they need to enjoy a lifetime of good oral health starts with that very first appointment when they are about one year old. Schedule a dentist appointment with the friendly team at Today’s Orthodontics today!