When should my baby’s first dental visit be?
Yay! Your baby has sprouted their first tooth! Did you know that American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry (AAPD) recommends taking your child to the dentist no later than 12 months of age?!
Although that may seem young, it is so important to find a dental home early in order to establish healthy habits and have a lifetime of good oral health. The goal is to prevent cavities in the first place! Early dental visits can help your child become more comfortable and build overall confidence in the dental setting. By coming in every 6 months, Dr. Choi can monitor and keep track of overall growth and development of the jaws and oral structures. This also enables you as a parent to learn more about the different milestones and their developing dentition and occlusion. Dr. Choi will also perform a personalized assessment of your child’s oral/dental development and growth, speech/language development, any thumb or pacifier habits, diet and nutrition and injury prevention.
At your babies first dental visit, it may include a full exam of all of the oral structures including the jaws, their bite, gums and palate.
What to expect at your child’s first visit:
- Cleaning of the teeth and gums – An age appropriate cleaning will be done for your child using our special spin brush and prophy paste. Your child will be able to choose from a variety of yummy flavors!
- Professional topical fluoride treatment – Based on your child’s cavity risk level, a professional topical fluoride treatment may be recommended.
- Tips for brushing and flossing at home – After finding out what the current home care situation is, Dr. Choi will give you personalized recommendations on how to improve oral hygiene based on their comfort level.
- Guidelines on use of fluoride toothpaste – After a careful assessment of their caries risk Dr. Choi will make a recommendation on if and when to start using Fluoride toothpaste at home.
- How to prevent cavities – After careful assessment of your child’s diet and eating habits, Dr. Choi will make recommendations as to how to prevent cavities!
Other tips for a successful first visit!
- Schedule a morning visit! Many times younger children will do best in the morning when they’re well rested and have not been tired out from the day.
- Let Dr. Choi and her team know if there’s anything they can do to accommodate and make you and your child more comfortable and at ease.
- Prepare any questions ahead of time that you might have for Dr. Choi and the team!
- Lastly, don’t stress! Even if your child gets upset, the best thing to do is to stay calm and keep positive vibes!
Come visit us at San Marino Pediatric Dentistry! Dr. Choi can’t wait to meet you and your little one!
