When Should Your Child Start Seeing a Dentist?

    SACRAMENTO, CA, February 02, 2012 /24-7PressRelease/ -- Your child's first dental appointment is critical to your child's current and future oral health. Knowing when to take your child to the dentist for the first time and how to care for your child's first teeth are important aspects of his or her health.

Your Child's First Dental Appointment

Your child should visit the dentist within six months of the first appearance of a tooth, or at least by his or her first birthday. At this point, your child's facial development will benefit from dental care. The four front teeth usually erupt first, around six months of age.

At your child's first appointment, the family dentist will inspect your child's teeth and gums for any signs of decay or infection. The dentist will also examine your child's bite - the way the upper and lower jaws and teeth fit together. In most cases, this first appointment is brief. It is a good opportunity for your child to become accustomed to the dentist.

During this appointment, the dentist will also inform you of how to care for your child's teeth now that they are growing in.

Even though you may be inclined to take the child to your dentist, you may want to consider choosing a dentist who specializes in family dentistry. Family dentists and their teams are accustomed and prepared for the behavior and needs of children. Their offices often provide books, games and toys for children to enjoy while they are waiting.

Oral Hygiene for Children

If your child's first teeth are going to fall out anyway, why care for these teeth? Long-term oral health is the reason. Even though the first teeth will fall out, these teeth help your child chew and speak. As such, keeping these temporary teeth healthy are important to the function and comfort of your child's mouth.

Also, the health of these teeth influences the health of the gums. If the teeth become decayed, the infection can spread to the surrounding gums, ligaments and jawbone. These structures will support your child's permanent teeth, and infections in these areas can quickly become harmful.

Your family dentist will provide specific instructions for your child's oral hygiene. These instructions may include:

- Brush your child's teeth twice a day.
- Flossing your child's teeth as soon as any two teeth touch each other.
- Before age 2, use water to brush your child's teeth unless otherwise instructed by your dentist.
- When your child begins using toothpaste, use a nonfluoridated paste until your child knows to spit out the toothpaste without swallowing.

In most cases, children begin to brush their teeth by themselves by age 6 or 7.

To learn more about finding a family dentist in the Sacramento, California area, please visit the website of experienced dentist Dr. David B. Miller at Advanced Dental Concepts at http://www.hightechsmiles.com.

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