When should your children first see the dentist?

With all of the things to keep track of while raising a child, there can be some confusion about the right time to bring your infant in to see the dentist. The current recommendation from most dentists, including the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry (www.aapd.org/parents) , is to set up an initial examination when the child's first tooth appears or no later than their first birthday. Chances are that there will be no dental problems that require treatment at that appointment, but your dentist can screen for rare early conditions and discuss in detail with you any questions you have about proper diet and home care issues regarding your child's mouth. The most important thing that happens is that the child now has a 'dental home' for regular preventive care. If a dentist can build on positive experiences with your child then receiving future dental care can be much easier and stress-free for them. At this first appointment, it's common to have one parent hold the child in their arms and sit knee-to-knee with the dentist. You then lean your child back (keeping in mind that crying is very normal at this stage--mostly by your child, a little less by the dentist) and in under a minute the exam is complete! From there the visits tend to get easier and easier for your child and we can start them off to a lifetime of dental health.