Your Childs First Visit to the Dentist
What to Expect!
Your child’s first set of teeth, the primary teeth, are extremely important. Strong, healthy primary teeth help your child chew food easily, learn to speak clearly and look good. It’s important to know that your child’s general health can be affected if diseased and broken primary teeth are not treated early. Primary teeth also hold the spaces for permanent teeth to erupt into good positions. For all these reasons, it is really important that the first dental visit is a pleasant experience.
During the examination, the dentist will check all of your child’s existing teeth for decay, examine the bite, and look for any potential problems with the gums, jaw and oral tissues. If indicated, the dentist will clean teeth and assess the need for fluoride. Parents will also receive an education on oral health care basics for children, together with a discussion dental developmental issues and answer any questions.
Topics the dentist may discuss with you might include:
- Good oral hygiene practices for your child’s teeth and gums
- Cavity prevention
- Fluoride needs
- Oral habits (thumb sucking, tongue thrusting, lip sucking)
- Developmental milestones
- Teething
- Proper nutrition
- Schedule of dental checkup visits. Many dentists like to see children every 6 months to build up the child’s comfort and confidence level in visiting the dentist, to monitor the development of the teeth, and to promptly treat any developing problems
