At what age should your baby first visit the dentist?
Many new parents think around the age of 2 or when their baby is walking. However, it’s well before that. Both Dental and medical professional’s recommend having your baby visit the dentist for their first check up before the age of 1, or 6 months after your baby’s first tooth erupts. Starting early helps introducing the dental office and dentist to your child. Creating a bond for your child to familiarize their growing teeth.
At your child’s first visit at Radiance Dental in Camas, Washington Dr.Bharathi will address any concerns and findings with you to promote good oral hygiene. The dental assistant or dental hygienist will help make your child’s visit fun and interactive. They will involve your child into cleaning their teeth and playing with the dental tools and dental instruments at their appointment.
Dr.Bharathi attended the Access to Baby & Child Dentistry (ABCD) certification training conducted by a dental champion under the auspices of the University of Washington School of Pediatric Dentistry. This amazing program’s goal is to ensures that our youngest and most vulnerable children have access to dental care that promotes good lifelong oral health habits and helps them avoid cavities, pain and high-cost dental interventions later in life. Our dental assistants will review with you the ABCD program of good home care. For example like good snacks for diet, habits to have them avoid and outgrow, as well as techniques and tricks to encourage brushing and flossing at home and lifting the lip and looking for anything unusual on the gums or teeth.
Many parents believe that that baby teeth are nothing to worry about because they will fall out any way. We understand that is what happens, but for the time that their primary teeth are in there they’re holding the space for the permanent teeth to grow into and lifelong oral health. Primary teeth are important because they’re:
- Helping children chew properly to maintain good nutrition.
- Involvement in speech development.
- Helping save space for permanent teeth.
- Promoting a healthy smile that helps children feel good about the way they look.
If a tooth falls out to earlier the dentist will have to plan for something to help maintain and hold that space so it doesn’t close or have another tooth drift into its place. If a primary tooth gets an abscess (infection) and it’s not addressed it can linger and harm the permanent tooth. By addressing and treating things that are small ensures that a primary tooth will last until it’s job is complete and ready for the permanent tooth to take over its position naturally.
Give us a call to schedule your little one. We would love to help you maintain their beautiful little smile, and yours. Make an appointment at our Camas, WA and East Vancouver, WA location to have Dr.Bharathi complete a full exam or for your regular check-up. We’re conveniently located off of 192nd on 34th St behind the QFC in Camas.
