Oral care is essential to maintain the health of the teeth and gums. Regular teeth brushing and consuming a healthy teeth-friendly diet may help you and your kid achieve good oral health. But this may not be sufficient, especially for kids. Your kids may require extensive dental care. Visiting a dentist regularly is crucial and paves the way for oral and dental wellness. But when is the right time to take your kid to a dentist? And how should you prepare for your child’s first dental visit? 

The dentist in Upper East Side, New York strives to make parents understand the importance of dental visits to their children to help improve their oral health. 

At What Age Should a Kid First Visit the Dentist?

Your kid’s first dental visit should take place after the first tooth erupts (usually around 6 to 9 months), but not later than their first birthday. When your kid gets their milk teeth, they may be prone to developing tooth cavities. Thus it is essential to be proactive about your kid’s dental health for a beautiful smile and overall wellness. 

What Are The Benefits of Taking Kids to Dentist When They Are Young?

Here are a few key benefits of taking kids to the dentist when they are young:

• Prevent dental issues
• Foster positive oral care habits 
• Familiarize the kids with dentists and the dental environment
• Provide a healthy and beautiful smile
• Cater to the needs of oral issues to pave the way for stronger and healthier permanent teeth
• Offer a calm and relaxing environment to prevent dental anxiety and fear 
• Prevent the need for extensive and painful dental procedures if the health of the teeth is taken care of from a young age 

What Happens at a First Dental Appointment? 

Following are some of the pointers that get covered on the toddler’s first dentist appointment-

• The dentist teaches the right brushing style to the parents so that they can further educate the child
• They would offer knowledge of taking proper care of teeth, frequency of brushing, gargling, etc.
• Parents also get a chance to ask about the use of a pacifier and its effect on the teeth
• They also offer dietary counseling to make parents understand the negative impact of repeated snacking between meals, and the use of excess sugar products and drinks.

Ensure to take your kid to the dentist as soon as their first tooth erupts. This fosters good oral habits in them and aids in offering a strong and healthy foundation for permanent teeth in the future.