Blog
If you’re a new parent, you have a million things to think about in regards to your newborn’s health. You may be wondering when she will start to get her baby teeth, start eating solid foods and when it’s appropriate for your child to start seeing the dentist. Here’s some rules of thumb on how to instill great dental habits in your child early.
Although baby teeth start emerging at different times for different kids, your child should see an infant dentist sometime before her first birthday. The first visit to the dentist is mostly an orientation for both you and your child, which involves getting her used to going to the dentist and talking to you about how to teach them to brush and floss regularly. After the first visit, the standard every-six-months rule applies to your child, too. Somewhere between the ages of 4 and 6, the dentist to take a first set of X-rays to check for cavities lurking between the teeth.
While it’s ok to take your child to your family dentist, there are plenty of pediatric dentists in the Phoenix area who are specially trained to deal with the dental issues that children face. Especially during childhood, cavities can be a problem due to the different types of bacteria that lives in your child’s mouth. Not only do they go through two extra years of residency training for treating children, but the pediatric dentist’s office is specially geared towards making children comfortable. The pediatric dentist’s primary goals are prevention, especially in regards to cavities, and maintenance. Also, when your child is around age 7, her dentist will likely suggest an orthodontic evaluation
Prevention is the most important goal for your child’s health between the ages of 6 and 12, when her permanent teeth start coming in. This is when the basics–brushing twice a day, flossing daily and seeing the dentist regularly– will have the biggest impact on your child’s smile.
