If your child is getting ready to start the new school year, we hope they have had, or will soon have, their first routine dental exam and cleaning for the year. This will help ensure they don’t miss school due to cavities or other potential dental issues. But what about your infant or toddler? Did you know it’s just as important for pre-school children to receive their dental exams as early as possible too?
From Baby to Toddler
Both the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry and the American Dental Association advises parents to take their babies to see their pediatric dentist within six months of having their first tooth come through. The sooner you start caring for your baby’s developing smile, the healthier they will tend to be. By setting a solid foundation for a healthy smile early on along with having positive experiences at the dentist’s office will help your baby feel calm at future visits with the dentist and staff. Showing you how to care for your baby’s smile as early as possible helps you establish long-term healthy oral habits for them. And as your toddler grows, you can learn how to keep their growing smiles healthy and strong. A typical pediatric dental appointment will include the following:
What Can You Expect at Their First Visit
After your child is greeted by our friendly staff, we will address any dental concerns you have about your child’s smile.
We will go over your child’s medical history as well as your family health history to know what to watch for. Our dentist will assess your little one’s oral habits, pacifier use, diet, and overall development. Your child’s teeth and gums will be evaluated and which teeth look like they will be coming in soon. Our dentist will let you know how your child’s oral health is coming along and provide recommendations for oral habits that could impact their developing teeth and gums. We will also recommend the appropriate dental tools your child’s smile needs and offer improvements to their diet and habits like pacifier use. From there, we can set up a schedule or recommend routine dental appointments to follow.
Setting a Healthy Oral Foundation
If you are pleased and calm during these routine visits, your child will tend to follow suit and feel most comfortable during their visit. By taking the time to make sure your little one has positive dental experiences, you will be setting a foundation for their healthiest smiles as they grow. If you would like to learn more or schedule your child’s first dental appointment, we welcome you to call our caring staff at 805-985-2400 today. Our Sugarbug Dental teams in California are excited to work with your child’s smile to achieve the healthy smile they deserve!