When Your Child's First Tooth Appears, It's Time to See the Dentist
If you are the parent of an infant or toddler, the American Dental Association and the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry recommend that the first dental visit be scheduled shortly after your child reaches 6 months of age, or when the first tooth appears.
The first dental visit can be a bit anxiety-inducing for both children and parents, but no worries -- our staff is fully equipped and trained to keep your child happy and calm.
Your child's first visit introduces your child to our caring staff and will help you to understand what you can do as a parent to instill proper oral health habits. The doctor checks for signs of proper development and then counts the teeth. Your child is evaluated and further treatment is planned if necessary. No matter what type of treatment your child needs, we are confident in our services and will make sure that your children have nothing but the best care and attention.
Timing Matters
Don't be nervous and wait too long for your child's first exam! Tooth decay can occur as soon as your child's first tooth is cut. Bacteria that are present in everyone's mouth changes the sugar in foods and drinks into acid. Every time your child eats or drinks, the sugar in the food or drink is changed into acid that can attack the teeth for 20 minutes or longer. Continued acid attacks lead to tooth decay and infections. Infections around the tooth can become serious perhaps requiring IV antibiotics or surgical drainage.
Additionally, it's important to get a baseline exam to see how your child's dental health is doing from the start. Our pediatric dentists will even demonstrate how to brush and care for your child's small teeth and properly address any odd patterns occurring - and address those quickly.
Baby Teeth Are Important
Baby teeth actually serve several functions. Keeping the primary teeth healthy is not only aesthetically pleasing, but if teeth decay and require extraction, it makes chewing difficult for the child. The decay of baby teeth can also damage the permanent teeth. Although your child's baby teeth or primary teeth are not permanent, they require the same dental care as the permanent teeth.
Soothing Care
Having a stranger poking around inside the mouth can make an infant or toddler understandably uncomfortable. Our pediatric specialists and assistants can help keep your child calm during this procedure, and they can also explain to you what's happening should you be nervous as well!
Everyone in our office is patient and has a gentle attitude that kids pick up on. Our staff can also accommodate special needs patients and provide excellent care. As your child gets older, our dentists can, and will, provide more education on how to take really good care of teeth.
