New or expecting parents often inquire about what age their
children should begin seeing the dentist. In a perfect world, we would begin
seeing children for visits after their first teeth begin erupting.
Unfortunately, very few would be willing to cooperate at that age. Our hope is
to become their ‘dental home’ at an early age and start developing a sense of
familiarity and a positive relationship. We more frequently recommend their
first visit around the age of 2-3 or when all of their primary (baby) teeth
have erupted.
There are a number of different goals we have for your
child’s first dental visit. On top of the typical dental exam where we check
the teeth and surrounding tissues, our goal is to educate the parents on how
they can help maintain good oral health for their children. Among other things,
we will discuss how much fluoride they need, what kinds of toothpaste to use, what
habits may lead to cavities, and how you can assist each day in cleaning their
teeth.
It is important to remember that each child develops at a
different rate and the eruption timing of teeth may vary. For most, the lower
central incisors appear within 6-10 months, followed shortly by the upper
central incisors. The final primary (baby) teeth to erupt are usually the upper
second molars anywhere from 25-33 months. During the time the teeth are coming
in, your child may experience sore or tender gums. You can rub their gums with
clean wet gauze or even your finger. A chilled teething ring can also work, but
you definitely do not want to dip it in sugar, syrup or other foods. If your
child still remains uncomfortable, we recommend consulting your pediatrician.
For more information of children’s dental health, check
out our website at www.brownandkupper.com.
Lee T. Brown, DDS
Brown and Kupper, DDS Inc.
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