The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), the American Dental Association (ADA), and the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry (AAPD) all recommend establishing a “dental home” for your child by one year of age. As long as your child has a tooth present, they are at risk of developing cavities and should receive professional dental care. It is important to begin brushing your child’s teeth and gums as soon as you see a tooth erupting and plan to find a pediatric dentist for your child.

Children who have a dental home are more likely to receive appropriate preventive and routine oral health care. This visit is usually done with the child in a parent’s lap. The hygienist and the doctor will clean and examine the teeth and demonstrate an easy way to brush and floss at home. Any problems or suggestions will be discussed along with the appropriate solutions to make home care as easy as possible.

Preparing your child for their first visit

You can make the first visit to the dentist enjoyable and positive. If old enough, your child should be informed of the visit and told that the dentist and their staff will explain all procedures and answer any questions. The less to-do concerning the visit, the better.

It is best if you refrain from using words around your child that might cause unnecessary fear, such as needle, pull, drill or hurt. At Just For Kids Dental, Dr. Terry Scott and our team make a practice of using words that convey the same message, but are pleasant and non-frightening to the child. We find this principle to work very well and do our best to create a positive and friendly environment for our patients.

Are you looking for a dental home for your child? If so, we would love to care for your child’s dental needs! Contact Just For Kids Dental to schedule your child(ren) to come and meet us!

Dr. Terry Scott