Child's First Visit To Dentist Age
Baby’s first visit to the dentist may need to happen sooner than you might think! While some may be inclined to believe that it is appropriate to wait for all of their baby’s teeth to come in, you should actually plan their first trip as soon as teeth begin erupting through the gums.
Once your baby’s first tooth appears, decay can occur. Decay in primary teeth can lead to a higher risk of decay in adult teeth. So ensure that they have an established relationship with the Pediatric Dentist in lynnwood wa before their first birthday.
The sooner a familiar routine is secured for your baby with the dentist, the less likely they are to develop fear and anxiety. The Pediatric Dentist’s office will be a fun and safe environment, complete with games and puzzles to help relax your child while waiting their turn at dental appointments. Caring for those baby teeth is important since it will help create an understanding of preventative oral care for your child later in life.
Primary teeth are important!
Your child’s primary teeth are vital to their overall health and development. Some may think that since children are going to lose their baby teeth in a few years anyway, they aren’t as important to care for. This is not the case! Primary teeth:
- help your child learn to chew, enabling proper nutrition
- are necessary in the development of speech patterns
- encourage happy, confident smiles!
The primary teeth also maintain the space that will be needed after they fall out naturally and the permanent, adult teeth begin to push through. Flossing and brushing your child’s baby teeth are just as important as the care you plan to show their adult teeth. Instilling proper oral health early is key to enabling your child’s ability to maintain lifelong habits.
Calming dental visit fears
Children are often uncomfortable with the unfamiliar and a dental office has a lot of new sights and sounds that can cause anxiety. Whether or not your child has special needs, introducing them to what they will experience prior to meeting their new dental professional team can be extremely beneficial.
Before you bring your baby in for their first visit, take some time to begin showing them what they might encounter at the dentist.
- Buy a simple dental kit from a drugstore and let your child hold the mirror, which is similar to the one the dentist will use.
- Ask them to open their mouth and then count their teeth with them. Allow them to count your teeth or even take them along for your next cleaning so they can get an idea of what to expect!
- Make sure dental visits, especially this first one, is at a time complimentary to your child’s naptime and eating schedule. Morning appointments might be ideal since most kids are pretty happy and cooperative after a good night’s rest and breakfast!
Fears are generally put to rest once a child knows what is going on and understands that going to the dentist is a fun new part of life with healthy teeth!
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