When Should I Take My Child to the Dentist for the First Time?
Your youngster’s health is a top priority, and oral health is an essential part of keeping them healthy and strong.
Along with teaching your child good oral health habits, like brushing and flossing every day, emphasizing the importance of routine dental checkups will help them maintain peak oral health throughout their lives.
And the sooner you start, the better!
When should I take my child to the dentist?
The Canadian Dental Association recommends that your child should see a dentist 6-months after the emergence of their first tooth, or when they reach 12-months of age (whichever comes first). Visiting the dentist earlier ensures any oral health issues are caught as soon as possible, and can be treated sooner than later.
Why should I take my child to the dentist so soon?
There are a number of reasons to take your child to the dentist 6-months after the appearance of their first tooth, such as:
Your dentist can find and fix dental issues sooner (such as crooked, crowded or decaying teeth)
You can determine if your child’s dental routine is keeping their teeth and gums healthy
Your child can get used to visiting the dentist as a normal part of life
Should baby-teeth get fillings?
Though that cavity-stricken baby tooth will be pushed out by your child’s primary teeth eventually, it’s still very important to get a filling.
Any cavity (even in baby teeth) can turn into a worse problem down the road (such as an infected root or decayed tooth), which may even require the tooth to be pulled.
The gaps created from a pulled tooth in your child’s growing mouth can lead to tooth-crowding, which can block permanent teeth from growing in correctly.
Though these dental issues can all be treated by a dental health professional, it’s always best to take preventative measures early to help keep your child’s oral health in peak condition!
Dental timeline for kids
To give you an idea of what your child’s dental timeline should look like, we’ve created a general guide below:
1 - 2 years: Your child’s first dental visit! From this point on, you should bring your child for a dental check-up and cleaning every 6-months.
4 - 6 years: Your child should get dental X-rays to ensure there are no cavities lurking beneath the surface of their teeth.
6 - 12 years: Your child will be getting all of their adult teeth, and so, your dentist might recommend an orthodontic evaluation to ensure their teeth, jaw and bite are all in alignment.
12 - 18 years: This is when your child may need to get braces or retainers, and eventually their wisdom teeth removed - all to make sure their teeth are healthy and straight.
Have questions about your child’s dental health?
Teaching your kids about proper oral health
By taking your kids regularly to the dentist for check-ups, cleanings and routine maintenance, you’re helping them stay healthier, and you’re creating healthy habits that will last throughout their lives — lessons they can pass on to their own children!
Keep that healthy cycle spinning with dental services from Peak Dental!