Most children go to the dentist for the first time around two years old, which is actually later than the American Academy of Pediatrics and the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry recommend. It is recommended that you take your child to see a dentist by the time they are a year old or within 6 months of the first tooth coming in.
Taking your child to the dentist early has many benefits.
One of the biggest advantages to taking your child to the dentist early is it gives the dentist a chance to make sure your child’s teeth are coming in properly and that they are being taken care of properly.
Another advantage to taking your child to the dentist early is that it will help alleviate your child’s fears. When your child is a year old she will be too young to be nervous. Introducing your child to the sites and sounds of a dentist office early can help her be prepared in the future and make visits when she gets older easier.
Children should go to the dentist early because if the first visit is around the child’s first birthday, it is not about getting their teeth cleaned and such. The first visit is more about getting the child used to the chair and noises and teaching parents how to properly care for toddler teeth. Chances are, if your child is no longer taking a bottle (or you are working on it) and doesn’t wake up to snack in the middle of the night you won’t have to go back for a year.
Ensuring good oral health in your children early will help develop good habits for later in life as well. Your children need healthy teeth to eat for the rest of their lives, and good habits early in life transfer into adulthood.
When did you first take your child to the dentist?