Dental care should start early. When should your child see a dentist for the first time? This is an important question that many parents think about. When should a child go to the dentist, and how early should dental care begin? Many parents don’t receive guidance from their pediatrician when their children should start seeing the dentist. Here is a helpful guide on what age is best and the benefits of going to a dentist early from Lovett Dental Corpus Christi.
When Should a Child Go to the Dentist?
When your child has no teeth, you can simply rinse out their mouth before bed. However, once their first tooth emerges, you should schedule a visit to the dentist. You will probably want to schedule the visit six months after you see the first tooth. This visit will set you on a path of routine visits, where you can care for your child’s teeth as they emerge. What you don’t want is to start dental visits too late when decay has already set into the teeth.
The Benefits of Seeing a Dentist Early
Once you start on a plan of oral hygiene early on, the benefits become obvious. One of the benefits is that you avoid cavities and discoloration of your child’s teeth. These are baby teeth, and they will eventually fall out. However, cavities can extend to the gums and cause gum disease. Preventing cavities or any type of gum disease in the first place is what you should aim for.
A second benefit is that you get into the habit of seeing the dentist. Getting into a routine of going every six months will make your child comfortable. It’s true that there may always be some anxiety when visiting the dentist, but visiting the dentist twice a year will decrease that anxiety. In addition, children’s dentists are often great about giving out toys.
Thirdly, taking care of your child’s oral hygiene from an early age builds healthy habits. Your children will learn the importance of brushing their teeth twice a day. They will also learn how to floss. These kinds of daily habits will go a long way toward preserving their teeth and gums.
Another reason to see a dentist early is so that a dentist can watch the progress of how your child’s teeth come in. One of the first issues a dentist may want to help phase out is thumb sucking and using a pacifier. These aren’t necessarily a problem, but they can be if they continue for too long. A second issue is overcrowding. As crowding occurs and the baby teeth start to fall out, the dentist may recommend braces. These are important details to start being aware of from very early on. Are the baby teeth emerging as they should? Are they coming out straight? Your dentist will want to be on top of your child’s mouth and any possible crowding issues.
Get to Know Your Child’s Dentist
At Lovett Dental Corpus Christi, we enjoy building a relationship with children from very early on and watching them grow. With routine dental visits, we can see your child’s dental growth over the years and efficiently keep track of the changes. We can also let you know when to switch to fluoride toothpaste, for example.
As your children grow, they may need additional dental services, which we can help with. Besides general dentistry, we also provide cosmetic dentistry like braces. Our multidisciplinary dentistry office offers pediatric dentistry, orthodontics, periodontics, oral surgery, and more. By age eight or nine, your child may need to see an orthodontist due to problems with overcrowding. We can easily make an appointment and provide further advice. Our orthodontist consultations are free, and we can address misaligned jaw structures and crooked teeth.
Call Lovett Dental Corpus Christi at 361-986-1117 to learn more about our pediatric dental services. We will be happy to provide our dental services to your growing family.
