When should a child first see the dentist?
The usual advice is when the first tooth appears, or around the first birthday. That may sound early, but a first visit is not about treatment. It is about meeting a dentist before anything hurts, so the chair is a familiar place rather than a frightening one.
What happens at a child's first dental visit?
Very little that a toddler would object to. A ride up and down in the chair. A count of the teeth. A look at the gums, the bite and how the teeth are coming in.
Then the part that is really for you: how to brush a small child's teeth, how much toothpaste to use, why a bottle of milk or juice at bedtime is hard on new teeth, and what to expect as more teeth arrive.
As children grow, visits look more like an adult's: a cleaning, a check of every tooth, X-rays when there is a reason, and a word about what is going well.
Why baby teeth matter
Baby teeth fall out, so it is tempting to think decay in them does not matter. It does. A cavity in a baby tooth can hurt and become infected just like one in an adult tooth, and some baby teeth stay in place until the pre-teen years.
Baby teeth also hold the space for the adult teeth underneath. Lose one early and its neighbors can drift into the gap, leaving the adult tooth too little room to come in straight. They matter for chewing and for learning to speak clearly, too.
Sealants and fluoride for children
Two of the least expensive things in dentistry do a great deal for children's teeth. Sealants coat the grooves of the back teeth, where decay likes to start. They are commonly placed as the permanent molars come in, around ages 6 and 12, with no drilling and no numbing.
A fluoride varnish painted on at a checkup helps harden the enamel. At home, a smear of fluoride toothpaste the size of a grain of rice is enough for a toddler, and a pea-sized amount for an older child. Many dental plans cover sealants and fluoride for children; see insurance for the plans we work with.
Thumb-sucking, pacifiers and mouthguards
Thumb-sucking and pacifiers are normal for babies and toddlers, and most children give them up on their own. It becomes worth watching if the habit carries on as the permanent front teeth come in, because steady pressure can push teeth forward and narrow the roof of the mouth. We will tell you whether what we see is worth acting on yet, and gentle encouragement usually works better than pressure.
Once a child plays sports, a mouthguard is worth the nuisance, particularly for contact sports and anything with a ball, a stick or a real chance of a fall. If a tooth is knocked out, find it, hold it by the crown rather than the root, and call. Tell whoever answers what has happened and they will get you seen; what to do for a knocked-out tooth covers the rest. Go to an emergency room instead if the jaw may be broken, bleeding will not stop after firm pressure, or there has been a hard blow to the head.
Keeping dental visits positive
Children take their cue from the adults around them. If your child is anxious, tell us when you call, and we will take things at their pace. A few things help at home:
- Talk about the visit simply and calmly beforehand, without promising anything about how it will feel.
- Try not to use the dentist as a threat, or pass on your own worries about dental visits.
- Come for regular checkups, not only when something is wrong, so most visits are uneventful ones.
- Praise the effort afterward, whatever happened in the chair.
Teenagers and Invisalign
Teenagers need the same checkups, plus an honest conversation about the habits that matter at that age: sports, snacks and sugary drinks, and tobacco, including dip. Teens who would like straighter teeth can ask about Invisalign, planned from a digital scan rather than a tray of impression putty. See Invisalign for teens.
Questions patients ask
What age should my child first see a dentist?
When the first tooth appears, or around the first birthday. The first visit is mostly a look and a conversation, as much about showing you how to care for the teeth as about your child.
Are baby teeth worth filling?
Often, yes. A cavity in a baby tooth can cause pain and infection, and some baby teeth stay until the pre-teen years. Whether a particular tooth needs a filling depends on how close it is to falling out, and we will explain the choice.
When should my child stop sucking their thumb or using a pacifier?
Most children stop on their own. It is worth working on if the habit continues as the permanent front teeth come in, because it can affect how they line up. We will look at the teeth and tell you whether it is time to act.
How can I help my child feel less nervous about the dentist?
Start early, keep the talk beforehand simple and calm, and avoid using the dentist as a threat. Regular checkups mean most visits are uneventful, which does more for a nervous child than anything we could say.
My child is older and has not seen a dentist yet. Is it too late?
Not at all. Plenty of children first come in later than the usual advice, and we start the same way, with a look and a conversation. If something needs treatment, we will explain it to you both first.