At What Age Should Children Start Seeing The Dentist?

Visiting the dentist is something you know you should do regularly; but when do you begin taking your child to the dentist? This is a question that has, over the years, been met with a few different answers. Some professionals have stated that a child does fine visiting the dentist around age three. By this time, they are “more manageable” in the chair. However, dentists have reported that they have seen patients come in with tooth decay and cavities at ages far younger. Therefore, the standard textbook answer seems to still be the very best: your child should see the dentist when their first teeth start to come through.

Pediatric dentistry is not solely about restorative care. Your pediatric dentist is there to provide you with checkups and maintenance. This is also the place where a parent can receive advice on how to keep their child’s teeth as healthy as possible. This advice goes beyond how to brush properly or when to start flossing, and ventures even into how nutrition will affect your child’s teeth.

Preventing tooth decay in a child is, of course, the primary focus of the dentist. The problem of tooth decay spreads into other areas of a child’s life, such as speech development and overall self-esteem. Besides the obvious reasons of maintaining healthy teeth from a young age, taking your child to the dentist early may also alleviate a lifetime of fear associated with dental check-ups.

It’s no secret that millions of adults and children alike harbor great fear of the dentist’s chair. Beginning regular visits early in life will teach a child the importance to proper oral care; and may also set them up for maintaining healthy teeth and gums; thus lessening their chances of needing restorative care at some point in their lives.

Every child needs and deserves a healthy smile. Starting preventative measures early gives children the best possible chance at keeping their teeth and gums in tip-top shape.