Your child’s first visit to the dentist
Our suggestions are to bring your child in for their first dental check-up at or around the age of 3 years old. At this point your child will already have their primary or baby teeth in their mouth. At the age of 2 years most children may not be able to sit still, and some may still be waiting for their last primary teeth to erupt in the mouth. I find it is always helpful if they witness an older sibling have their check-up first to get them familiar with the sights and sounds of the office. We usually have your 3 year old in for what we call a ?happy visit?, which is basically Mom and/or Dad in the room allowing the child to explore different things and explain what is going to happen in easy to understand terms. If your child is more comfortable, sitting on your lap in the dental chair can also be done. Once everything is set we can attempt to take a quick look inside your child?s mouth to observe anything out of the ordinary such as: baby bottle cavities, thumb sucking habits, where to brush better, and a general assessment of the gums and soft tissue. It is imperative to catch any abnormalities early to prevent serious problems and reduce the risk of damaging the underlying adult teeth.