When Should a Child Have Their First Dental Appointment?

When Should a Child Have Their First Dental Appointment?

Oral and dental health is an issue that affects the development of the individual from an early age and should be taken seriously by parents. Today, parents are more conscious about many issues thanks to the age of the internet and technology. Most parents did not care so much about oral and dental health in the past because of the thought that milk teeth would fall out and leave their place to permanent teeth. In fact, they did not even worry about tooth decay and postponed taking their children to the dentist. Now conscious parents want to know when to take their children to the dentist for the first time.

Pediatric dentists agree that children should go to the first dental examination from the age of two after all milk teeth have erupted. The World Health Organization states that it is beneficial for babies to be taken to a doctor's control after the sixth month of their first milk tooth came out. This brings another question to mind: Isn't 6 months or 1 year too early to go to a pediatric dentist?

The answer is clear: no, it’s not. Regular dental check-ups from an early age make children more conscious about oral and dental health in the coming years. Thus, they can acquire basic habits such as brushing their teeth regularly and using oral care products earlier, and have healthier teeth.

Contrary to popular belief, delaying taking your child to the dentist may lead to worse outcomes. A child who goes to the dentist for an examination for the first time with tooth decay or any infection may have a bad experience. It is known that the fear of the dentist from childhood continues even in adulthood.

Dental treatments applied to children and young people up to the age of 18 are protective. Therefore, early diagnosis at an early age is of great importance. Thanks to early examination and early diagnosis, dental caries, and orthodontic problems are prevented and these problems are treated before they progress.

What Happens in the First Dental Appointment?

The first dental examination is a fun and educational experience for children unless they come with a complaint such as a tooth decay. First of all, the clinic and the surrounding materials are introduced to the child, and then the parents are informed about proper nutrition, healthy tooth brushing habits, foods and products to be avoided. The family is asked to bring the child for a check-up at least twice a year and to follow the oral and dental development carefully.

Do not forget that if you teach your child to go to the dentist every six months as a routine, you will have prepared a good ground for them to have healthier teeth and not to fear the dentist in the future.