Author Name: Dr. Sandra Thompson
According to the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry, the child’s first dental visit should be made when the first tooth appears in the mouth and before he or she turns one year old. This is also the recommendation of the American Dental Association, which advises parents to create a dental home for their children before they turn one year old.
This means that it is not necessary for you to wait until the mouth of your child is filled with baby teeth before making the first dental visit.
The first dental visit is mainly aimed at preventing problems that may occur. Here, the children dentistry team will examine the child’s teeth and gums, evaluate the growth pattern of the child’s teeth, advise on proper oral hygiene, and respond to any questions regarding feeding and brushing of teeth.
Dental care is not only for treating toothaches or visible cavities.
A child's teeth can look healthy while there are still factors that affect the risk of tooth decay. During early pediatric dental visits, the dentist can assess factors such as:
The threat of early childhood tooth decay arises when the child’s first tooth breaks through. Early childhood tooth decay not only has risk factors but also protective factors; thus, its prevention cannot be a blanket approach and needs to be more specific than simply examining the child’s teeth.
The assessment is an important source of information for the parents to take with them. It will also assist the dentist in recognizing the problem before it becomes harder to control or notice.
The early intervention does not ensure that no dental issues arise. Early childhood caries and injuries may happen even with good preventative measures in place.
No. If your child is more than one year old and has not seen a dentist yet, it does make sense to start at this stage.
Do not believe that it is too late for your child because of missing the prevention. Let your child get a checkup before experiencing any problems.
A useful starting plan is:
The goal is to understand where your child's oral health stands today and decide what should happen next.
Assessment of cavity risk is not just about determining the presence of cavities in the patient.
A pediatric dentist may consider various aspects like oral health of the child, the history of decay, the practice of oral hygiene, diet, etc., that can contribute to tooth decay.
For young children, the discussion may include:
As it was mentioned before, the ADA says that ECC (early childhood caries) is a multi-factorial disease process where many risk and protective factors participate. That is why the treatment and prevention strategy should be individualized and depend on a child’s risks, and not be standardized.
For this reason, preventive dental services might be helpful even if there are no problems detected at home.
Regular oral care is very crucial when it comes to safeguarding the dental health of the new teeth.
As per the recent ADA standards, the teeth of the children should be cleaned two times a day with a fluoride toothpaste. It is recommended that the parents use a tiny amount of fluoride toothpaste not larger than the head of a rice grain for the brush of their children below three years.
A dentist can also give advice that fits your child's age and needs, including:
In some cases, parents may need to be more proactive in relation to toddlers, rather than wait for the time when a toddler is able to brush his/her teeth.
The recommendations may be different in relation to a developing baby. Recommendations which worked perfectly well for a toddler who had four teeth may not apply to a preschooler.
The preventive dentistry services should be provided according to the needs of the child.
Fluoride varnish is a procedure that involves applying concentrated fluoride on the teeth and may help in preventing cavities. The frequency of the procedure may depend on the risk of cavities and the specific case of the child.
The professional teeth cleaning by a pediatric dentist might be required too.
Nevertheless, it does not mean that all babies and toddlers receive the same services each time when visiting the dentist. It depends on the results of the examination, age, dental health, risk of cavities, and cooperation of the child.
Thus, early visits become significant not due to the necessity of performing certain procedures, but due to receiving of the individual recommendations for the parents depending on the needs of their children.
Even though baby teeth are only temporary, they still need care.
Kids use their baby teeth for eating and speaking as their mouth matures.
Additionally, baby teeth ensure that there is room left for permanent teeth later on.
It is also important to note that baby teeth are susceptible to decay and pain just as any other teeth.
It is wrong to ignore problems with baby teeth “since the teeth are going to fall out anyway.”
The dental examination allows parents to establish the health of teeth and decide on the further course of action.
But the mouth experiences extremely quick changes within a relatively short period of time.
A pediatric dentist has an opportunity to examine the condition of the teeth, their eruption and development while a child grows his or her teeth. If the dentist finds something abnormal, he or she can identify whether it needs observation or any other action.
Thus, it will become possible to plan treatment procedures without considering the fact that any abnormality needs treatment.
In addition, early identification is needed to prevent any dental problems from progressing. So, any early change of the enamel will lead to additional preventive care.
Brushing the teeth of toddlers can be quite difficult.
The children will tend to avoid, clench their mouth, seize the toothbrush, and become agitated. But through discussions with the pediatric dentist, the parents will be able to know the right way to position the kids to brush their teeth.
Parents can also ask about:
In line with ADA’s recommendations, it is suggested that the child should be brushed by a baby brush which is soft-bristled as well as assist the child until such a point when he or she is able to do it on his or her own.
The advice may be useful to the parent where the child does not want to brush.
Brushing is very important; however, brushing is only one way to avoid cavities. The number of times the teeth are exposed to specific foods and drinks is yet another crucial consideration. Consuming snacks often containing processed carbohydrates and drinking sugared drinks makes it likely to develop cavities.
This is what AAPD advises when giving preventive counseling.
Parents may benefit from reviewing routines such as:
It is not about imposing an impossible diet on the toddler but rather about looking for some feasible changes according to the child’s age and nutrition needs.
A pediatric dentist can assist parents in identifying what changes are needed as opposed to just telling all the parents the same list of restrictions.
All the aspects that the child sees in the dental clinic are novel for him/her.
The list includes new faces, lighting, sound, the dentist’s chair, the use of gloves, use of mirrors, and even the person who asks the child to open his/her mouth.
The first visits offer such opportunities to the children.
Over time, some children may become more familiar with:
While familiarity can aid certain children in getting used to their pediatric dental visits, it does not ensure that the experience will be a worry-free one.
Some factors include temperament, age, prior medical experiences, development, and the cause of the visit.
It is not always true that crying means there is some problem.
Infants and toddlers normally react to unfamiliar situations by crying, becoming shy, refusing to open their mouths, or being reluctant to separate themselves from their parents.
The infant or toddler simply lacks the ability to sit through such an appointment because they do not have enough attention span or emotional development as the older child does.
A toddler-friendly pediatric dentist would keep in mind the age of the child as well as his/her willingness to cooperate while formulating his/her plan. Firstly, it could be that the only thing that needs to be done is carrying out a thorough examination.
The parents should not assure their children that nothing terrible will happen to them and that they shouldn’t be afraid. It may prove difficult to do so. Families can also learn more about pediatric dental care through Desert Kids Dental.
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