When Should My Child Start Going to the Dentist?

Your children’s dentists in Calgary, AB, Canada, can save your child’s smile.

Dental care is an important part of safeguarding your child’s overall health. So, when should your child start going to the dentist? It’s never too early. In fact, your child should have an initial visit within 6 months of when you see your child’s first tooth erupt, or at least by your child’s first birthday, whichever is sooner.

Dr. Muoi Leong and Dr. Mark McCalder of Thorncliffe Family Dental in Calgary, AB, Canada, offer a wide range of general and family dental services, including dental services for children.

The truth is, decay can happen the minute the first tooth erupts in your child’s mouth, which is the main reason why early dental visits are so important to the health of your child’s smile. Another reason to bring your child in early is to make your child comfortable with visiting the dentist. The first visit is extremely important to make the upcoming visits easy and comfortable for your child.

The first visit is a time for your child to get comfortable with the dental staff. At subsequent visits, your child will receive:

• A dental examination
• Dental x-rays
• Professional teeth cleaning
• A fluoride treatment
• Oral hygiene instruction
  
  

As your child gets older and the permanent teeth start coming in, dental sealants are recommended to protect your child's teeth against tooth decay.

These are some general guidelines to expect on tooth eruption, but remember all children are different, so eruption may be within these guidelines, or sooner or later than these milestones:

• When your child is 6 to 10 months, look for the lower primary teeth
• When your child is 8 to 12 months, look for the upper primary teeth
  
  

As your child’s teeth erupt, it’s important to limit exposure to sugars, even sugars found in juices, so make sure you don’t give your child a bottle of juice for a long period of time or overnight.

You want to protect your child's smile, and your dentist can help. To find out more about the importance of children’s dentistry and pediatric dental services, call Dr. Leong and Dr. McCalder of Thorncliffe Family Dental in Calgary, AB, Canada. You can reach them at (403) 274-7033, so call today!