{"id":52,"date":"2018-12-03T19:16:24","date_gmt":"2018-12-03T19:16:24","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.castleberrycenter.com\/blog\/?p=52"},"modified":"2023-04-20T14:22:10","modified_gmt":"2023-04-20T14:22:10","slug":"when-should-child-visit-family-dentist","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.castleberrycenter.com\/blog\/2018\/12\/03\/when-should-child-visit-family-dentist\/","title":{"rendered":"When Should Your Child Visit the Family Dentist?"},"content":{"rendered":"\"AEarly development is crucial to ensuring that health is maintained for life. This is true for all aspects of life, whether it\u2019s general health, vision or dentistry. Unfortunately, many parents don\u2019t know the best way to protect their child\u2019s oral health, outside of brushing and flossing. By visiting a family dentist<\/a> every six months and taking the time to prioritize these visits, you prepare your child for what\u2019s needed to keep their smile healthy and functional well into adulthood.\n\nTo start, here\u2019s when you should bring your child in for their first visit.\n\n\n

When Your Child Should Visit<\/h2>\nChildren should visit their dentist within six months of their first tooth erupting or by their first birthday. Even if they reach one year of age and no baby teeth have erupted yet, you should still bring them in for their visit. Dentists want to make sure that no issues are present with your child\u2019s oral structures overall, not just their teeth.\n\nFurthermore, baby teeth are an incredibly important part of your child\u2019s oral development. While it\u2019s true that they will eventually fall out and be replaced with permanent teeth, tooth decay can develop as soon as baby teeth erupt. If decay breaks down their teeth and causes them to fall out prematurely, it can cause significant developmental and bite issues later in life. Permanent teeth that grow in too soon are likely to come in crooked.\n

What Will the Visit Entail?<\/h2>\nWhile the visit will involve a brief oral exam, most of your time will be dedicated to having a conversation with the dentist on at-home care and future treatments you may want to consider for your child. During the exam, your child can sit on your lap for moral support, allowing them to feel more comfortable. It is one of the dentist\u2019s highest priorities to make sure your child has a good first impression during the visit. Establishing a good relationship now is key to making future visits, both as a child and as an adult, easier.\n

At-Home Care Tips Parents Should Know<\/h2>\nRoutine dental visits help us confirm many facts about your child\u2019s oral health, but at-home care is going to be the largest part of protecting their smile in between visits. That\u2019s why during your visit, you\u2019ll get to go over all relevant steps and tips to make oral care simple and straightforward.\n\nTo help you get started, consider the following when helping your child learn at-home care:\n