Your child’s life is full of exciting firsts like the first time they roll over, take their first step, and say their first word. Sometimes with all of these amazing milestones, the first trip to the dentist can be an easy first to overlook. When is the right time to start caring for your child’s teeth with proper brushing and yearly checkups?
At-home oral care starts early even before they get their first tooth, and while checkups can wait a while, it doesn’t hurt to get them familiar with a good dental routine. According to the CDC, 1 in 5 children have at least one untreated tooth decay or cavity. These early problems can lead to pain and other issues with speaking, learning, and eating. The sooner good habits for brushing and flossing are instilled, the healthier your little one’s mouth will be as they continue to grow.
How To Get Started
Great habits can start before a first tooth comes in. Gently brushing your baby’s gums with a special brush once or twice a day can get them used to the idea of brushing and the importance of taking care of their teeth. As toddlers start them brushing with a fluoride toothpaste to help prevent cavities. Be sure to help your young child brush their teeth to ensure they are learning the correct way to brush and that all of the teeth are being cleaned. As they grow more you can introduce both flossing and how to use a fluoride mouth wash made specifically for children. Limiting the amount of sugary foods and offering a larger variety of healthy and fresh foods rounds out a great beginning to a healthy mouth.
Overcome Checkup Anxiety
The first checkup to your dentist can cause anxiety and fear in a little one if they have never accompanied you on a check-up. A great way to settle their anxiousness is to allow them to come with you for a routine cleaning and checkup. You can also discuss what will happen at their checkup without describing the process with too much detail. Your hygienist or dentist will have their own terminology used with children’s visits and will do everything they can to ease their worries and explain what they are doing.
Early Prevention
Early checkups will help prevent cavities and can help identify orthodontic problems for early treatment. Protective sealants can be applied to back molars which are the most likely to develop cavities and performing x-rays can show hard to see cavities in between teeth.
Don’t wait to give your child their first dental checkup. Giving them an early start with good dental hygiene and checkups will keep their smiles bright for the rest of their lives.
