CHILD'S FIRST VISIT TO DENTIST AGE

According to a study conducted by Delta Dental Plans Association in 2009, most American children do not have their first visit to their family’s dentist until after the age of two.  Most medical and dental professionals recommend dental appointments to have already started by that age.

The fact is, if you go to the dentist regularly, you are more likely to bring your child to the dentist.  Not all children go to the dentist; 34% of children in this study had not been to one yet.  The average age of the children from the study was 2.6 years for their first visit for dental care.  The American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry recommends that children have their first visit within six months after the first tooth erupts or by the age of one.  Most of the time, babies’ first set of teeth start growing in around six months old, but visits to medical professionals and dentists can make sure that your baby is developing at a healthy rate.

Importance of primary teeth not recognized

The most common reason that the caregivers and parents have not started professional dental care for their children is that they thought the child was too young.  More than half of the caregivers believed that their children have to have a certain number of teeth to warrant a visit to the dentist.  Just over 10% of parents and caregivers noted that the lack of insurance coverage for their children was their major reason for neglecting dental appointments.

Despite the fact that children lose their first sets of teeth before their adult sets grow in, the AAPD maintains that it is important to ensure the primary set of teeth stay in place until they fall out at the natural rate.  The research results from the AAPD show that the set of teeth developed as babies is important because:

• Primary teeth help maintain spacing in the mouth for the permanent teeth.
• Provide children with the ability to develop strong and clear speech
• Help children chew their food thoroughly and sustain good nutrient absorption as the first stage of digestion
• Offer children means of healthy self-esteem from bright, toothy grins

Calming dental visit jitters

The earlier you expose your children to dental appointments and the more common dental visits are for you and them, the less likely your children are to suffer from anxiety.  If your children visit the dentist before the age of one, your children are too young to be nervous, but children over the age of two who have not been to a dental office yet will have the challenge of a new experience.  No matter the age, you will be introducing your children to a new person, a new surrounding and new treatments.  The best way to help prepare your children for the new machinery and procedures is through exposure.  Bring your child with you to your next appointment so they can watch from a safe distance how the dentist examines and cleans your teeth.

The online journals, books, chat rooms, mommy groups and dental organizations have plenty of helpful information for you to share with your children about the dentist, dental appointments and overall dental health.  Find a great story or a fun game to turn learning about teeth and caring for teeth into an activity.

Play pretend! You can be the dentist and examine your child’s teeth with a flashlight and a mirror.  Your child can be the dentist next and count the teeth in your mouth.  It is important that your children get familiar with opening wide and the sensation of someone’s fingers on their teeth.

Work within your children’s routine.  Dental visits instead of nap times are not the best way to prevent rushing the appointment or having to leave the appointment before the dentist has completed the treatment.

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