What will happen during my child's first visit to the dentist?

Parents should take their children to the dentist for their first dental check-up by age one. At this age,your children should have some teeth erupted in the mouth. Your pediatric dentist will complete an exam to check for all intra-oral and extra-oral tissues to make sure that everything is developing correctly. He or she will also review home care techniques, diet recommendations, and flouride supplementation to prevent cavities in your children. Your pediatric dentist can review the best brushes and toothpastes to use that are age appropriate for your children and techniques to aid in home brushing. Diet is a large part of the cavity process and you should discuss bottle and sippy cup use with your dentist. He or she can recommend good food and snack alternatives that are nutritious and can prevent cavities. Issues such as teething, pacifier use, and trauma may also be discussed. To make your first visit easier for your child, make sure to book a morning appointment. Young children typically do better with morning appointments because they are fresh and not tired from a full day of activities. Make the dental appointment a fun and new event of the day and do not express any of your own anxieties to your children. Make sure to address your pediatric dentist with any concerns. He or she will be very glad to discuss all your questions. The goal of establishing a dental home for your children by age one is to get your child accustomed to coming to the dentist and to ensure that your child is receiving the proper dental care to have a cavity-free future. Children that see a pediatric dentist within the first year of life experience much lower rates of decay than children that have not seen a pediatric dentist. Many children who see the dentist by age one remain cavity free during their entire childhood.