It’s hard to know when to take your child to their first dental appointment. You want to be prepared and responsible, but you also don’t want to jump on the fast track of being a helicopter parent.

Why It’s An Important Decision…

Tooth decay is a prevalent problem in the lives of children.

“‘Far too many children suffer far too much dental disease, and it is overwhelmingly preventable,’ says Burton L. Edelstein, D.D.S., founding director of the Children’s Dental Health Project in Washington, DC. Legislators are listening: A bill, the Children’s Dental Health Improvement Act of 2002, aimed at increasing kids’ access to dental services, has been introduced in Congress and endorsed by the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry (AAPD) in Chicago and other healthcare organizations.”

The bottom line is, it’s important. We talk in our office about how the mouth is a portal to the rest of the body. It’s no different for your kids. Encouraging good habits early will do them a favor the rest of their lives, even if they hate going to the dentist.

How old do you start them?

The AAPD recommends that children see a dentist when their first tooth erupts or no later than their first birthday.

Does that sound outrageous to you? This might help clear things up. The concept of taking kids to the dentist early on in childhood is accomplishing two goals.

  1. You’re introducing your child to the dentist early and helping them develop good dental habits at a very young age.
  2. You’re prepping them for more involved visits as they get older and run into bigger issues like the “c” word (cavities!).
  3. You’re letting your child develop a relationship with the office. The more at-home they feel, the more comfortable they’ll be.

While no intensive work will be had during the really tiny kids’ visits, it is really helpful to prep them early for that 2.5-3 year old visit when they’re ready for the full cleaning process.

We know they won’t be thrilled to come to the dentist, but we’ll be thrilled to have them! We are high-end dentistry in the Worthington & Columbus area, and we’d love to have your family stop in for some dental cleanings. Our passion is for you to be healthy, and we believe we’re next on your list of stops!

If you have some questions about your little one’s first appointment, or if you’d like to schedule a dental visit for anyone in your family, feel free to call us at (614) 459-5205 or click the button below to contact us online.

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