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Friday, January 4, 2013

First Dentist Visit for Toddlers

There are so many mixed answers as to when to begin taking your child to the dentist. Samantha is 2.5 years old. I brush her teeth morning and night. She is not complaining of any pain or discomfort and her teeth look great.

At my last dentist appointment, I asked when I should bring Samantha for her first visit. My dentist says she likes to start seeing children at around 2.5 years old. They will come in the office and will be shown around, if they do not want to sit on the chair alone then they can sit on their parents lap. The dentist will then do what they can. The visit may consist of simply counting their teeth or even just to introduce them to the dentist.

I decided to search the web to find out what other parents or dentists think the right age is to start taking a child to the dentist. There isn't a consistent response to this question. From my research, parents begin taking their children to the dentist from anywhere between 1.5 all the way up to 6 years of age. Many parents have a difficult time judging when their child needs to visit the dentist for the first time.

Here's what to expect on your childs first visit.

  • Short informal meet and greet visit
  • Poke around mouth depending on childs comfort level
  • Check for tooth decay and examine childs gums, jaw and bite
  • Lesson on oral hygiene for children
  • Question and answer period

Its never too early to start thinking about keeping you childs smile. Even though those little baby teeth don't stay around forever you still want to keep those tiny teeth and gums in perfect shape.

SSMom

2 comments:

  1. My friend asked me the same question. He’s got a 2-year-old son and they can’t decide when to take him to the dentist to have his teeth checked. Well, I have a baby too. I’m thinking of making our first dental visit for her when she turns 1. It’s always best to ask the experts as early as possible to avoid problems that might occur in the future. Great post. Keep it up!

    Clinton Zelman

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  2. I agree, when in doubt ask the experts!! Getting your child comfortable going to the dentist is important and will make your life easier when they get older. Fingers crossed anyways!!

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