The Importance of the Age One Dental Visit

Did you know that the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry recommends that all children have their first dental visit by the age of one? You might be surprised by this recommendation, since most children do not have many teeth at this age. However, it is important to start your child early on the path of good oral health!

Here are a few things you can expect from this first dental visit:

1. Developing a Rapport. Much of this visit will be dedicated to helping your child to feel at ease in our office. We’ll spend time talking to your child, so that he or she is comfortable sitting in the dental chair and being examined.
2. Looking for Signs of Decay. During the comprehensive examination, we’ll be looking for any signs of tooth decay and conducting a risk assessment for potential future cavities. Keep in mind that baby teeth serve as guides for your child’s permanent teeth, so it is vital that you take proper care of them. You may not know it, but your child’s permanent teeth are already forming beneath the gums, and if teeth are lost early, there is a higher risk for orthodontic problems later in life.
3. Reviewing Oral Hygiene Techniques. We would like this visit to be instructional and informative for you. Feel free to ask any questions that you have about caring for your child’s teeth. In addition, we’ll take some time during this visit to review with you the correct way to brush your child’s teeth.
4. Talking about Oral Health Habits. We’ll also spend a portion of this appointment doing a bit of fact gathering to ensure that you’re not inadvertently doing anything that promotes decay, such as leaving a baby bottle with a sugary substance in your child’s crib at night.

If you would like more information about the age one dental visit, please contact us today at (248) 589-2021 to schedule an appointment for a consultation. You can also learn more by reading the Dear Doctor magazine article “The Age One Dental Visit.”