If you’re not sure when to take your child to the dentist, you’re not alone. One thing’s for sure, though: you should never wait until it’s too late for preventative dental care. If your child’s first trip to the dentist’s office is to take care of a dental emergency, you waited too long!
Your child should start to go to the dentist by the time the first tooth appears or his first birthday, whichever comes first. How often should you go to the dentist after that first appointment? Every six months? Once a year? Ideally, you should take your child to the dentist every six months. This may sound like a lot, but frequent visits are essential to the health of your child’s developing teeth.
signature Smile Dentists, River Oaks and Royse City, always put your child’s dental health first, all while making each visit fun and memorable. thanks to our unique, patient-first approach, children can’t wait to visit our dental offices!
The Importance of Regular Dental Care for Children
Given the current state of pediatric dental health [CB1] in California and across the United States, it’s normal to think about when to take your child to the dentist. Consider these sobering statistics:
- Dental health issues are responsible for millions of school hours missed every year.
- Nearly half of U.S. children have at least one cavity – and about 20% of California youth have up to 7 cavities!
- The average child in America has at least one decaying tooth.
- About 20% of children have not visited a dentist within the past year.
There’s work to do in improving pediatric oral health in the U.S. What’s truly alarming is that bad dental habits as children are the primary reason for cavities, tooth decay, gingivitis and other dental health problems in adults. According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), almost one-third of adults have untreated cavities – in other words, they’re not even aware they have cavities in the first place. Just like children, adults need to visit the dentist on a regular schedule.
Protect Teeth from Decay
Regular visits allow your child’s dentist to detect early signs of dental disease and decay. You may take excellent care of your child’s teeth but still have problems for which you cannot see symptoms. A dentist can catch these early and treat the issue before it becomes a larger problem. Although parents sometimes think that baby teeth do not require extensive care because they will eventually fall out, remember that your child’s permanent teeth grow directly beneath those baby teeth. Baby teeth help to guide permanent teeth into place and play an important role in your child’s long-term dental health.
How old should my child be before I make his first dental appointment?
You should take him in by the time he celebrates his first birthday.
First visits are mostly about getting kids used to the dentist’s chair and educating parents about how to care for the baby’s teeth. If your child has transitioned from the bottle to cup and doesn’t snack or drink in the middle of the night, you get a one-year pass, until age 2. That’s when the standard every-six-month dental visit recommendation kicks into gear. When your child is between ages 4 and 6, expect your dentist to take the first set of X-rays to check for cavities lurking between the teeth.
Prevention is the name of the game between ages 6 and 12 when baby teeth give way to permanent teeth. Your child’s dentist will probably suggest a sealant, a plastic resin that bonds to teeth’s chewing surfaces, between ages 7 and 9. Cavity-prone molars are the most likely site for treatment. The resin keeps cavity-causing bacteria from getting into the grooves and valleys of teeth.
Also, when your child is around age 7, his dentist will likely suggest an orthodontic evaluation. Most kids will wait until their early teens for braces, but orthodontics is about modifying jaw growth, so identifying skeletal causes of crooked teeth early helps ensure a beautiful smile later on.
Ensure That Teeth Develop Correctly
A dentist will check your child’s teeth to ensure that everything is developing correctly and that missing or crooked teeth are watched. Your dentist can also spot signs of a fluoride deficiency and recommend appropriate adjustments in your child’s fluoride intake or application of a topical fluoride solution. A dentist will also explain and demonstrate proper brushing and flossing techniques to you and your child.
When Take Your Child to the Dentist – First Visits, Frequency & More
Your child’s first visit should occur when their first tooth comes in. If no teeth appear within your child’s first 12 months, schedule an appointment shortly after their first birthday.
As far as frequency, most dental professionals – including signature Smile Dentists – recommend children should visit the dentist at least twice per year. Two trips to the dentist on an annual basis helps ensure:
- Familiarity and trust are established with their dentist – this is very important for young children.
- Minor issues don’t become serious oral health problems.
- Teeth are aligned correctly.
- Teeth are protected from cavities and decay.
Build Up a Comfort Level
Bringing your child to the dentist twice a year from an early age expedites acclimation to the dental office environment. It also builds up your child’s comfort and confidence levels and reduces both your and your child’s anxiety and fear about the dentist, leading to stress-free visits in the future.
Bringing your child to the dentist twice a year may seem unnecessary when your child’s teeth look fine, but frequent visits serve many purposes. Above all, they teach your child the importance of lifelong healthy oral care habits.
In the end, it’s the basics — brushing twice a day, flossing daily, and getting regular dental checkups — that have the most impact on a kid’s smile.
Resources:
thesuperdentists.com
colgate.com
webmd.com
We love our patients and love to help them form healthy dental life that will last them a lifetime. For more information call us today to answer all of your questions so get an appointment
