Children’s Dentistry

Your Child’s First Visit to the Dentist

The first “regular” dental visit should scheduled by age 1, or upon appearance of their first tooth. The first dental visit is usually short and involves very little treatment. We may ask you to sit in the dental chair and hold your child during the examination. 

We will gently examine your child’s teeth and gums. Radiographs may be taken if needed (to reveal decay and check on the progress of your child’s permanent teeth under the gums). We may clean your child’s teeth and apply topical fluoride to help protect the teeth against decay, but we will always have a conversation with you first about your personal preferences. We will make sure your child is receiving adequate fluoride at home. Most important of all, we will review with you how to clean and care for your child’s teeth.

What should I tell my child about the first dental visit?

We are asked this question many times. We suggest you prepare your child the same way you would before their first haircut or trip to the shoe store. Many children really enjoy their first visit to see us!

During your first visit the dentist will:

• Examine your mouth, teeth and gums.
• Evaluate adverse habits like thumb sucking.
• Check to see if you need fluoride.
• Teach you about cleaning your teeth and gums.
• Suggest a schedule for regular dental visits.

What about preventative care?

Tooth decay and children no longer have to go hand in hand. At Sisters Dental we prioritize all aspects of preventive care. We use the latest in dental sealant technology to protect your child’s teeth. Dental sealants are bonded to the chewing surfaces of decay-prone back teeth. This is just one of the ways we will set the foundation for your child’s lifetime of good oral health.

Cavity Prevention

Most of the time cavities are due to a diet high in sugary foods and a lack of brushing. Limiting sugar intake and brushing regularly is critical. 

Every time someone eats, an acid reaction occurs inside their mouth as the bacteria digests the sugars. This reaction lasts approximately 20 minutes. During this time the acid environment can destroy the tooth structure, eventually leading to cavities.

When making choices about your child’s snacks, keep in mind that foods that stick to tooth surfaces tend to be more problematic in contributing to development of cavities. Think about selecting fresh fruit instead of dried fruit, and bread rather than crackers or cereal. 

The first baby teeth that come into the mouth are the two bottom front teeth. You will notice this when your baby is about 6-8 months old. Next to follow will be the 4 upper front teeth and then the remainder of your baby’s teeth will appear periodically. They will usually appear in pairs along the sides of the jaw until the child is about 2 1/2 years old.

At around 2 1/2 years old your child should have all 20 teeth. Between the ages of 5 and 6 the first permanent teeth will begin to erupt. Some of the permanent teeth replace baby teeth and some don’t. Don’t worry if some teeth are a few months early or late as all children are different.

Baby teeth are important as they not only hold space for permanent teeth but they are important to chewing, biting, speech and appearance. For this reason it is important to maintain a healthy diet and daily hygiene.