A fun fact about dental health is that your baby’s teeth start developing even before they are born! This fact alone should motivate you to take your kid to the dentist as soon as possible. Parents usually do not think about their child’s teeth until they are at least 7 or 8 years old. However, it is recommended to visit the pediatric dentist as soon as their first tooth pops out.
Your child will have a full set of baby teeth when they become three years old. Waiting until three or much longer can be detrimental to your child’s dental and overall health. As a parent, you want to take care of your child. One of the ways to do that is taking them to the Vista family and cosmetic dentistry for routine check-ups.
Things to know about pediatric dentistry
- The right time to take your child to the dentist for the first time.
If you are a parent, you may be in constant confusion about when to take your child to their first dental appointment. After all, you do not want them to have cavities. While pediatric dentists will accept patients as young as one, starting dental visits at the age of three is ideally recommended. This is because many of their “baby” teeth emerge by the age of three. Three is also a good age to start educating the child about oral health hygiene practices.
- Tooth decay is the most common chronic disease of childhood in the United States.
Tooth decay is extremely common in the United States and five times more common than asthma in children. Untreated cavities can lead to worse oral health complications in the future. Children with tooth decay experience a lot of pain and miss school. Cavities can hinder your child’s learning, eating, sleeping, and playing.
- Cavities are preventable.
Cavities are certainly common in the US, but that does not mean they are not a preventable condition. Cavities are very preventable when you make the right choices. Cavities occur when the tooth enamel wears down due to damage. Fluoride treatment or fluoride toothpaste can help remineralize and strengthen the tooth enamel. It makes your child’s teeth more resistant to decay.
- Baby teeth are as important as adult teeth.
It is a common misconception that baby teeth fall out eventually, which is why you do not need to worry about them a lot. However, the baby teeth are the foundation of the upcoming permanent teeth. The American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry recommends that your child’s first visit to the dentist must be when their first tooth emerges or no later than their first birthday.
