First Dental Visit of a Child

Taking care of your teeth and overall dental health is an important part of staying healthy and leading a healthy lifestyle. So in order to have healthy teeth and gums and to avoid problems and illnesses, caring for teeth and gums should start at an early age. Many parents are unaware of what they should do and when they should start taking their child to the dentist. They know that cavities are bad and brushing and flossing is important. What they might not know is how to go about dental hygiene practices for their little ones from a very early age.

Proper dental care should begin even before your baby gets their teeth. Just because you can’t see them doesn’t mean they’re not there. A baby’s primary teeth start forming during pregnancy and at birth, they already have 20 primary teeth developed in their jaw. You can use a damp cloth to clean your baby’s gums after meals to prevent bacteria build up. Once teeth start showing, a toothbrush can be used to clean them. A bad habit to avoid is putting your baby to sleep with a bottle in their mouth. The sugar from juice and milk remain in the baby’s mouth for hours and can lead to problems for the teeth that are about to erupt from the jawbone. Known as bottle mouth, this condition can lead to discolored and pitted front teeth.

Many dentists advise that you take your baby to the dentist for their first dental checkup around their first birthday, or when their first tooth comes through. Taking your little one to the dentist early gets them used to going to the dentist and not being afraid of that environment as well. Make sure that you do your research and take them to a family friendly dentist who is experienced in working with little ones. A bad experience can last a lifetime, so make dental visits as calm and friendly as possible. Once your child gets used to having masked people walking around and the different kinds of noises and instruments around, they won’t be hesitant to go again. This will allow them to get their teeth checked and prevent any problems.

Dental hygiene should start as early as possible, so talk to your dentist about your baby’s dental health and give them a head start in living healthy.

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