The recommended age for a child’s first dental exam with a Pediatric Dentist is by the age of one year old, or six months after the eruption of their first baby teeth.
You may be wondering, “Why is it so important to see a Pediatric Dentist while your child is still a baby?”. Here are five reasons why:
Your child’s teeth typically erupt in a particular order, and within a specific time range. Problems associated with eruption timing, and tooth location are best identified early by a Pediatric Dentist at this first infant dental visit.
Children typically show signs and symptoms of teething around this age. Your trusted Pediatric Dentist can help to identify systemic signs of teething, as well as make recommendations to soothe your little one during this uncomfortable time.
At this infant dental visit, your Pediatric Dentist will also evaluate for signs of infant lip and tongue ties that may cause feeding difficulties, and impact speech, dental spacing, and your ability to keep your baby’s teeth clean.
Is your child a thumb or pacifier sucker? Your child’s dentist can identify changes in bite patterns that may be associated with a sucking habit. They will also be able to provide tips and tricks on how to decrease or stop thumbsucking, or pacifier usage. Depending on your child’s age, your Pediatric Dentist may also advise on the best time to decrease sucking habits according to your child’s individual needs.
One of the most common questions that parents have about their child’s oral health is, “What type of toothbrush and toothpaste best for kids?”. Depending on your child’s risk for dental disease, your Pediatric Dentist may make personalized recommendations for dental products that best suit your child.
A soft, infant-sized toothbrush with a pea-sized amount of hydroxyapatite toothpaste, like Risewell, are the best combination for children under the age of three. Hydroxyapatite is a great toothpaste that is safe even if swallowed by children. This toothpaste is also effective at mineralizing your child’s teeth.
Brushing a young child’s teeth is no easy task. Your Pediatric Dentist can offer specific brushing positions and techniques that can make brushing your child’s teeth a bit more stress-free!
Children that display signs of dental cavities at a young age typically have a combination of hereditary, bacterial, and environmental factors that make them more susceptible to dental disease.
There are a handful of nutritional habits, like nighttime bottle feeding, that make children, under the age of three, more likely to develop early childhood cavities. If detected early, the progression of this disease can be stopped by using a series of nutritional recommendations, oral hygiene techniques, and dental treatment options.
Arguably one of the most important reasons to take your infant to their first dental exam is to establish a relationship and rapport with their Pediatric Dentist and dental team. If a child visits the dentist early and consistently, there is no doubt, they will feel like visiting the dentist twice a year is a normal and essential part of life. We hope that this positive feeling extends with them into adulthood, and that these early dental visits may create the opportunity for a lifetime of proper oral health for your child.
Written by Dr. Ashley Rosenbaum. Published on April 21, 2023
