Children’s Dentistry

Your Child’s First Visit to the Dentist

The ADA strongly recommends that babies should receive their first dental examination within 6 months after the baby’s first tooth appears, but no later than the child’s first birthday.  The dentist can show you how to clean your baby’s teeth, discuss diet and fluoride needs and recommend oral care products. The dentist also checks for tooth decay. It’s best for your child to meet the dentist when there are no dental problems or emergencies. It’s a a well-baby checkup, like a well baby visit with the pediatrician.

Please click here to see videos provided by the ADA. Your Child’s Teeth: Birth to Age 5, and Your Child’s Teeth: Ages 6 – 12. Also, please check out the ADA articles to learn more about when baby teeth come in and when they fall out, and when permanent teeth start coming in. 

The first “regular” dental visit, with dental cleaning and exam, should be just after your child’s second birthday. This visit is usually short and involves very little treatment. We may ask you to sit in the dental chair and hold your child during the examination. We will work with you as a team so that your child has a good dental experience, every time he or she comes to our office.

We will gently examine your child’s teeth and gums. X-rays may be taken (to reveal decay and check on the progress of your child’s permanent teeth under the gums). We may clean your child’s teeth and apply topical fluoride to help protect the teeth against decay. We will make sure your child is receiving adequate fluoride at home. Most important of all, we will review with you how to clean and care for your child’s teeth.

What should I tell my child about the first dental visit?

We are asked this question often. We suggest you prepare your child the same way you would before their first haircut or trip to the shoe store. Your child’s reaction to his first visit to the dentist may surprise you.

During your first visit the dentist will:

• Examine your mouth, teeth and gums.
• Evaluate adverse habits like thumb sucking.
• Check to see if you need fluoride.
• Teach you about cleaning your teeth and gums.
• Suggest a schedule for regular dental visits.

What about preventative care?

Tooth decay and children no longer have to go hand in hand. At our office we are most concerned with all aspects of preventive care. We use the latest in fluoride treatment and dental sealant technology to protect your child’s teeth. Dental sealants are flowable resin materials designed to get down the cracks and grooves on the chewing surfaces of the teeth to form a protective barrier against decay. This is just one of the ways we will set the foundation for your child’s lifetime of good oral health.

Cavity Prevention

Most cavities are due to a diet high in sugary foods and a lack of brushing. Limiting sugar intake and brushing regularly, of course, can help. The longer it takes your child to chew their food and the longer the residue stays on their teeth, the greater the chances of getting cavities. Please check out the video provided by the ADA “Early Childhood Caries”.

Every time someone eats, an acid reaction occurs inside their mouth as the bacteria digests the sugars. This reaction lasts approximately 20 minutes. During this time the acid environment can destroy the tooth structure, eventually leading to cavities.

Consistency of a person’s saliva also makes a difference; thinner saliva breaks up and washes away food more quickly. When a person eats diets high in carbohydrates and sugars they tend to have thicker saliva, which in turn allows more of the acid-producing bacteria that can cause cavities.

The first baby teeth that come into the mouth are the two bottom front teeth. You will notice this when your baby is about 6-8 months old. Next to follow will be the 4 upper front teeth and the remainder of your baby’s teeth will appear periodically. They will usually appear in pairs along the sides of the jaw until the child is about 2 1/2 years old.

At around 2 1/2 years old your child should have all 20 teeth. Between the ages of 5 and 6 the first permanent teeth will begin to erupt. Some of the permanent teeth replace baby teeth and some don’t. Don’t worry if some teeth are a few months early or late as all children are different.

Baby teeth are important as they not only hold space for permanent teeth but they are important to chewing, biting, speech and appearance. For this reason it is important to maintain a healthy diet and daily hygiene.