The 3 Most Important Ages for Children to See a Dentist

When should kids start to visit the dentist? It’s a great question – which we frequently hear at Little Kids Dentistry. Even though it is crucial to see a dentist every 6 months, there are 3 critical visits.

It is a typical question among new parents. Children should have their first oral health checkup when their baby teeth develop or by their first birthday. Though it may appear early, this visit is necessary to confirm that your child’s teeth are emerging and developing typically. If you have concerns about your child’s development or lack of teeth, you should consult our specialists as soon as possible. Regarding your baby’s health, sharing problems with a specialist is essential rather than leaving things to chance. Baby teeth can appear as early as six months, so make sure their dentist appointment is pretty close!

The American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry recommends that children visit the dentist for the first time by age one to lay the groundwork for future dental care.

This dental visit allows parents to address their child’s oral health in a variety of ways:

· Controlling oral habits such as finger and thumb sucking

· Teething

· First tooth evaluation – the relationship between food and oral health

· Gum and jawline formation

· How to Look After the Dental Health of an Infant or Toddler

Our doctors and staff go above and beyond to ensure that your child enjoys their dental visit and is as comfortable as possible. If your child is nervous about their first dental visit, we always welcome parents to bring their child by our office to look around, meet the staff, and become acquainted with our clinic before you meet with us!

Your dentist will then accompany you and your child. They’ll do the following:

· Examine and clean your baby’s teeth

· Show you how to play a role in properly cleaning your baby’s teeth.

· Scrutinize your baby’s mouth for tooth decay.

· Share any worries they have about your baby’s oral development.

· Provide answers to your questions about your baby’s teeth and oral development.

A child’s oral habits, such as sucking or chewing on fingers and thumbs, must be corrected by age four. Dentists can also reinforce ways to assist a kid in overcoming these bad habits quickly and effectively during an age 4 dental visit.

This dental visit serves as a crucial “bridge” between when children should begin visiting the dentist (age 1) and when they should see an orthodontist (age 7). Consider this visit to be the transition from a “baby” dentist to an actual pediatric dentist. And with Little Kids Dentists, your child is guaranteed excellent dental care in California!

A child’s first molars erupt at the age of seven. Orthodontists properly examine a child’s teeth’ front-to-back and side-to-side relationships, detect potential future dental disorders, and design a strategy to address those concerns. By seeing an orthodontist at the age of seven, a kid can lessen the risk of future dental injuries and the need to extract permanent teeth.

We understand that going to the dentist might be unpleasant. But it should be enjoyable! Our staff of specialist children dentists makes the experience memorable while educating you on encouraging healthy habits and good hygiene for lasting smiles, whether it’s care for baby teeth, big kid teeth, oral surgery, or orthodontics. Call us or make an appointment online today!