As a general dentist, I often get asked, by new parents but more often by parents of toddlers or pre-school kids seeking emergency treatment, what is the best age to start dental check ups.
I asked the question to a few parents to gather their opinion of when they thought it was best. Most parents came up with 7-10 years old. Why? Baby teeth start shedding at the age of around 6 years old and permanent teeth are “more important”.
In my 8 years of working, most kids who attend for the first time are already in pain from a tooth. At that point, emergency treatment needs to be carried out on a potentially uncooperative child who has no experience of having their mouth examined. Performing any procedure at that moment could induce fear and lifelong trauma.
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12 months - 18 months is the best time for a first visit
Baby teeth typically start erupting at the age of 6 months and continue until around 33 months (see picture below)
Bottle caries, also known as nursing caries, are a common type of decay affecting babies who sleep with a bottle filled with milk (even breast milk) or juice - except for water. They tend to affect mainly upper front teeth and progress rapidly.
If not detected early, your child risks losing their front teeth earlier which can have consequences on eruption of permanent teeth and confidence. If detected early enough, your dentist can provide you with prevention advice to halt progression of decay for eg through fluoride therapy or guide you towards a more conservative treatment option if required.
What to expect for your child’s first dental visit?
Most dentists are trained to see children of all ages. We usually start off by making the child comfortable to have their mouth examined. Lap examinations are the typical start off point (as shown in the picture below). This allows children to feel safe with their parent whilst in a vulnerable position. We count the teeth and reward them for being a good sport. This examination usually takes about 5 minutes.
Always use encouraging words to your child when having a lap exam. Say ‘well done!’ , ‘how amazing are you!’
How often should you repeat dental check ups?
6 months is the usual. For high risk patients, 3months is advised. As the child grows up and gets acquainted with simple procedures such as fluoride varnish application and tartar clean ups,
Summary
Early introduction to dental check ups is key to preventing dental anxiety in children. We encourage parents to start between 12-18 months to allow your kids get used to the dental team and experience. It also helps identifying problems early so that minimal intervention is required. This leads to more cooperation in the long term.
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