What to expect and how to prepare for your little one’s first dental visit
Preparing for your child’s first dental visit can feel so stressful for parents. This isn’t just a new experience for them, but for you too! This is your first time taking your baby to the dentist.
I’m sure you have a lot of questions about taking your little one to the dentist for the first time, even if you have gone for yourself hundreds of times.
When should I take my little one to the dentist? Who should I take them to? How do I find a good dentist for my child? What can I do to help them prepare and have a positive experience? How often should I take them?
Let me answer some of those questions for you and give you some tips to help you prepare for the big event.
When should you take your baby to the dentist for the first time?
The American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry recommends taking your child for their first dental visit within 6 months of their first tooth coming in or by the age of one.
If you have any concerns or notice anything out of the normal, like discoloration of the teeth, bleeding, or unexplained tissue changes get your little one in for an appointment earlier.
Why take them when they are so young?
Baby teeth are susceptible to decay as soon as they erupt. And According to the American Academy of Pediatric Dentists (AAPD), 1 in 5 children under 5 years of age are affected by tooth decay!
This is such a sad statistic because tooth decay is 100% preventable.
Partnering with a dentist early on helps to catch dental conditions before they become a real issue. This can save you and your little one from a potentially traumatic experience.
BONUS: Starting dental visits early helps get your child used to the experience, making it feel less foreign or scary.
What can you expect at your baby’s first dental visit?
Think of your child’s first dental visit as more of a “happy” or “welcome” visit. It should be laid back and follow your child’s lead. The main goal of this first visit should be to have a positive experience.
Here’s what their first visit might look like:
- You will be in the room with them and depending on their comfort/ability level, they will sit on your lap in the dental chair.
- Your child will be offered safety glasses and a bib and will be introduced to the tools and equipment in the room in a fun and age-appropriate way.
- If your child is comfortable, the dentist will check your little ones’ teeth and gums, assess for any tongue ties, and make sure that everything is developing properly.
- The dentist will then answer any questions that you have and provide education around diet and how to care for your child’s teeth.
- Depending on how your baby is doing, they may provide a gentle cleaning with a toothbrush.
- Your child will be offered a prize. That will look different from dental office to dental office, but usually, it will be a little toy, sticker, or goody bag of dental products to try at home.
What won’t be happening at the first dental visit?
Fluoride is not recommended at this age because it can cause fluorosis, which is a weakening of the developing enamel. The Center for Disease Control recommends waiting until after 2 years of age, when all baby teeth have erupted, before offering fluoride to your child.
X-rays will not be taken at this stage unless the dentist sees something of concern. Following the ALARA guidelines, As Low As Reasonably Achievable, if there is no benefit to taking an x-ray, it should not be taken.
How to find the right dentist for your child?
It’s so important to find a dentist that works with children! You want your child’s first dental visit to be fun and kid-friendly, so taking your child to your dentist may not be the best fit.
Three ways to find the right dentist for your child:
- Ask other moms! Their input is invaluable. Where have they gone and what was their child’s experience like? How did the staff treat their little one? What did the environment look like? Was it clean? Kid-friendly? Were they pushy about treatment? Did they over-treat?
- Call around to dental offices and ask, “What does a dental visit look like for kids at your office?” “How do you deal with a child that is upset and won’t open their mouth?”.
If they can’t clearly answer these questions, or you just aren’t comfortable with the answers they provide, keep looking around until you find a dentist that feels right for you and your child.
- Opt for a pediatric dentist. They specialize in children’s dentistry and focus all of their efforts on making the experience comfortable and fun for children. Everything from the environment and staff to the tools and products used will be picked with your little one in mind.
How to prepare for your child’s first dental visit?
How often should you take your child to the dentist?
You should be taking your little one for regular dental visits every 6 months. This may seem excessive to you, but when it comes to teeth, prevention should be your goal.
Taking your child to the dentist two times a year will be their best dental insurance.
Regular dental check-ups are so important for preventing decay, disease, and potentially traumatic dental experiences!! Early signs of decay or disease can be detected and may even be reversible at this point.
These routine visits will help to give you and your child confidence in taking care of their teeth and it will decrease any fear or anxiety that they may feel about going to the dentist.
You’ve got this!
This may seem like a lot of information to take in and a lot to keep track of. Just remember, the goal of your child’s first dental visit should be to have a positive experience! The dentist and staff will guide you through the rest and help you set your little one up for dental health.
So go into this appointment with realistic expectations for your child and if nothing more than sitting down and meeting the dental staff happens, that’s okay! There is no need to force an exam or cleaning if your little one is not comfortable with it.
Have you taken your little one to the dentist yet? How did it go? Let me know in the comments down below!
