As soon as you have a child, you usually have pediatrician appointment after pediatrician appointment to keep your little one healthy. However, dental care is another important aspect of the health and wellbeing of your child. Discover a few tips to help you decide when you should start routine dental care appointments for your tot.
Ask Your Pediatrician
Unfortunately, not all dentists and doctors agree on when you should start taking your child to the dentist. Therefore, you may want to consult with your pediatrician to learn when he or she recommends routine dental exams.
Your child's practitioner will more than likely evaluate his or her teeth and let you know if any visible signs of problems are present. At that point, your pediatrician can determine if your child is at a higher risk than average for teeth problems.
Try for an Appointment After the First Tooth Emerges
Your child's first tooth will usually emerge after they are six months old. Generally, the central incisor appears between eight to 12 months while the lateral incisor appears between nine to 13 months.
At this point, you may want to schedule his or her first dental exam. At this visit, a dentist will examine your child's teeth to ensure your child's teeth are growing properly. A dentist will determine if your child's teeth have any potential problems that could interfere with the way he or she eats or the eruption of new teeth.
If you decide to schedule a visit to the dentist once your child's first tooth appears, you may receive adequate patient education to take care of them properly. This visit can set the pace for how well you and your child take care of his or her teeth.
This first appointment is also an ideal time for you to discuss any of your concerns or ask any questions you may have.
Schedule Before Your Child Turns One
If your child already has his or her first teeth, you want to schedule an appointment before your son’s or daughter's first birthday. This visit will provide you with insight into your child's tooth development.
Additionally, the first visit allows your child to adjust to dental appointments. Your child should generally have around two per year. These visits may strike a bit of fear, and you want your child to understand that a visit to the dentist is a positive experience.
Book as Soon as Possible
If your child is over the age of one, you want to book an appointment as soon as possible. You should have all the necessary resources to help you take care of your child's teeth and prevent serious issues like decay and gum disease in the future.
If a lack of insurance is an issue and why you postponed your child's first dental exam, contact the dental office to discuss payment options. Your child may lose his or her first set of teeth, but problems with the first step of teeth can lead to issues with his or her permanent teeth. Therefore, you should take care of your child's teeth as if he or she wasn't going to lose them and find a way to make routine visits possible.
More than likely, you want what's best for your child. Although pediatrician appointments are important, you should always consider your little one's teeth as well. Therefore, you don't want to wait any longer than your child's first birthday to schedule his or her first dental exam.
Schedule your tyke's first dental visit with Treasured Smiles Pediatric Dentistry, serving Frankfort, IL, and the nearby region, by calling us today.