Children’s first visit to the dentist: 3 tips
when should children visit the dentist for the first time?
One of the biggest concerns for parents is not knowing exactly when to make the first visit to the dentist with children, dental health is a fundamental aspect of a child’s overall care. Prevention and early care are key to maintaining good oral health throughout life. That’s why it’s important to schedule a child’s first dental visit at an early age. Let’s look at when and why this first visit is recommended.
When should the first visit to the dentist take place?
Why is the first visit to the dentist important?
Advantages of an early first visit
When should the first visit to the dentist take place?
The American Dental Association (ADA) and the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry (AAPD) recommend that children have their first dental visit at around one year of age, or within six months after the eruption of the first baby tooth. In addition to this recommendation, the Spanish Society of Paediatric Dentistry (SEOP) and the Spanish Association of Paediatrics (AEP) published an article in 2016 called “Recommendations for the first visit to the dentist in children” to establish an early relationship with the dentist and start preventive care, from the first moments of the child’s dental development.
Why is the first visit to the dentist important?
Establish a trusting relationship: The first dental visit allows the child to become familiar with the dental environment and to get to know the oral health professional as soon as he or she can remember. This helps establish a relationship of trust and familiarity from an early age, which can reduce anxiety and fear associated with future dental visits.
Education and counselling: During the first visit, parents will receive valuable information about proper oral care for their children, including brushing techniques, flossing, healthy nutrition and cavity prevention. The paediatric dentist can also address specific concerns related to the child’s dentition and oral development.
Early evaluation of dental development: the first visit allows the dentist to assess the proper development of the child’s teeth and jaw. Possible dental alignment problems or malocclusions can be identified at an early stage, facilitating timely treatment if necessary. It is also possible to detect harmful oral habits, specific to the oral cavity, such as incorrect breathing, chewing or swallowing, which can be easily solved with early intervention. In turn, misuse of the dummy or thumb sucking can also be diagnosed, in order to provide guidance and an appropriate solution.
Caries prevention: Although baby teeth eventually fall out, it is important to take proper care of them. The dentist can assess the risk of tooth decay and provide recommendations for prevention, such as the use of fluoride and dental sealants. In addition, a professional cleaning can be performed to remove plaque and tartar, helping to maintain a healthy mouth from an early age.
Growth monitoring and oraldevelopment: As children grow, their oral development changes. The paediatric dentist can regularly monitor skeletal and dental growth. This allows any problems or irregularities to be detected and addressed as they arise.
Advantages of an early first visit
An early first visit to the paediatric dentist for children offers many advantages as discussed above.
However, in addition to the purely dental health aspects, there is a key factor in an early first visit: familiarisation with the dental environment and the reduction of anxiety in children.
The younger children should become familiar with the dental clinic, the dentist and the staff, the sooner the better and not wait until the child has a problem. This will help to reduce anxiety and fear when dental treatment is due, by de-linking the dentist-pain relationship.
In summary, a child’s first visit to a paediatric dentist is an important step in establishing good oral health from an early age. Scheduling this visit around one year of age allows the dentist to assess oral development, provide education and advice to parents, and prevent future dental problems.
Don’t hesitate to consult our udemax clinics to schedule your child’s visit.
Make an appointment at Udemax Clinics, at Arcdental, your children’s clinic located in Zona Colegios, or at Emardental, your clinic in the centre of Palma. Or call us on .
Clinicas Udemax
At Clinicas Udemax we offer the youngest patients in the family a personalised service provided by a team of specialists in children’s and teenagers’ dental cases. Our objective is to offer the least invasive and most effective treatments at these ages to guarantee the development of a healthy mouth, establishing the foundations of an adequate oral health that will allow the adult to maintain an aesthetic and functional smile for years to come.
It is important in our clinic to offer the greatest peace of mind and safety with our treatments. For this reason, we have a team specialised in paediatric dentistry techniques and preventive and corrective orthodontics that continues to be trained to apply the latest technology and guarantee excellent and long-lasting results.
