Kids are particularly vulnerable to cavities and other dental problems such as malocclusions and sleep apnea. Therefore, your kid’s first dentist visit is very important in their journey to developing strong dental habits and health. Besides, the first visit of a child to a dentist is paramount for the parent because babies and small kids require assistance in brushing, dental safety, as well as dietary habits.
Your Kid’s Baby Teeth Will Fall Out – Does Dental Care Matter?
While your child’s primary teeth will fall out, it does not mean that dental care isn’t important. You need to get the kid to a pediatric dentist early enough to help dispel the notion that dental hygiene isn’t important for baby teeth since these teeth will come out. In fact, many issues can arise early on if you fail to care for the baby teeth, and as such, these issues could affect the permanent teeth and oral health for years.
The Right Time for First Dental Appointment
The American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry emphasizes that you should take your child to a dentist once they have their first tooth come in or erupt or by the time they see their first birthday. Often, children have their first tooth around 6 months from birth. Therefore, this is the right time to get them to a dentist.
The term “baby teeth” may be misleading when it comes to the first visit to a dentist because some of these teeth remain in the arch and don’t fall out until a child reaches the age of 11 to 13. Baby teeth, before they fall out, create the space where adult teeth will come in. They also affect the chewing ability of a child in addition to speech and smile appearance. As such, early dental checkups are necessary to help the child have good speech and promote their eating habits. Bring your child to our dental office today for a checkup to help enhance and promote their oral health.