Your child’s first dental visit is something of a milestone as it is hopefully the start of a lifetime of the routine preventive care that builds healthy, lasting smiles. Trusting an experienced children’s dental team like ours is the best way to ensure that this first appointment goes smoothly to leave a lasting, positive impression. The time it takes for a baby’s first tooth to come through will vary greatly between children. Some babies have been known to be born with a first tooth, whereas others may take a few months for their first tooth to appear. Each and every child is unique and the rate at which their teeth grow is too. At Park Place, our dental team is here to support you and your child through all fo your important smile milestones.
Your baby is hitting new milestones every day, and his or her first dental visit is another one to include in the baby book!
Getting as much information about your baby’s first dental trip will ensure you both start off on the right foot. Though there’s no “perfect” timing for your first trip, we encourage you to schedule an appointment after their first tooth appears (but no later than the first birthday), with routine checkups and cleanings beginning no later than three years old.
It may seem early, but starting at age one is the best way to ensure that your baby’s smile is developing properly and that those first little teeth are not vulnerable to something called baby bottle tooth decay, which occurs when the sugars in milk are left behind on the teeth, weakening the enamel and damaging oral health. Partnering with a children’s dentist will help you steer clear of this and other hazards that commonly affect young smiles.
When you first visit the dentist, there may be some registration forms to sign. You may want to pop in and sign these before your appointment so you don’t have to think about it on the day.
In most cases, the dentist will ask you to sit on the dental seat with your child on your lap. Once you and your child are comfortable, the dentist will ask to look in your child’s mouth to check for any cavities, misalignments, mouth injuries or other issues.
The dentist will then clean your child’s teeth and give you an opportunity to ask any questions. This is a great time to ask any questions relating to teething or any other worries you may have regarding your child’s mouth.