When should you bring your child to the dentist?

It is not always easy to know what age is right for different events and appointments, especially when your toddler is full of energy. Often parents think the right time to bring their child to the dentist to get their teeth checked is when they get a full set of baby teeth, however we recommend you bring your child to see us when they hit the two year mark.

Bringing your child to the dentist can seem like a challenging prospect but bringing them at a young age can genuinely make the latter visits a lot easier.

What will their first visit entail?

For a first visit, we usually advise you to bring your child along to your dental appointment or with their siblings. This will get them used to the environment and help us build their trust. We will count their teeth, let them hold the mirror and let them have a ride in the dental chair.

Seems pretty straight forward. So, what’s the point in bringing them in?

The focus of their first appointment is to talk to you as their parents to help prevent tooth decay as early as possible. We will discuss dietary habits and brushing techniques, to make what could be a stressful time of the day more fun and really give you the knowledge and tools you need to provide the best oral health for your child. It is important for us to check for normal dental development. By the age of two, we expect to see some or several teeth. It is a good idea to check that everything is developing normally because teeth aid eating, speech and jaw development.

Of course, they will leave with a toy and a sticker to reward them for their efforts. But by starting this routine with them young we can promote great dental experiences and minimal tooth decay! Sounds like a win-win to us!

Here are a few helpful tips to get you started, advised from the Australian Dental Association.

• • Setting the habit of brushing twice per day is the first step. Initially use a soft toothbrush and cold water as their taste buds may not be quite equipped for toothpaste just yet! As soon as you see two teeth touching – floss is needed. I can hear you thinking, ‘how can I floss my two-year olds teeth?’. Well we can give you tips with you child on their visit.
  • Kids will often put up a fight when it comes to cleaning their teeth but the reality is if it’s not done regularly, tooth decay can set in, with a host of painful problems resulting, including the removal of teeth in extreme cases.
  • Along with a twice-daily regime of brushing and flossing, try to limit their consumption of sugary foods and drinks such as lollies, soft drinks, and even savoury biscuits, snack bars and muffins. If you do give your child a snack – it’s best to stick to meal times only and limit grazing – choose unprocessed food like vegetables, cheeses and lean meats.

Book online or call us to book your child’s first appointment and start their dental journey with us.