At our Tulsa, OK dental office, we offer comprehensive family dentistry. That means we are ready to help your family with anything from dental implants to that all-important first visit.
Q: When Should My Child Have A First Visit?
Q: What Happens At The First Visit?
Q: Can My Young Child Really Have Cavities?
Q: Is There Anything We Should Be Doing At Home?
Your smile is incredibly important. It’s not just a matter of having teeth healthy enough to eat. Your smile can brighten up a room and help you ...
When you should be taking your child in for their first dental appointment can vary from child to child, but we will see children as young as two years old. This way, Dr. Cornell can check to make sure there are no problems with the teeth that are already starting to come in. But every child develops differently. If your child is getting primary teeth much earlier, the first visit should probably be earlier as well. And if the teeth are taking their time to come in, the first visit can likely wait a little bit.
There are two reasons to bring your child in for their first visit.
While it’s rare, children can have dental problems from the moment their primary teeth start to pop up. Early detection helps keep problems smaller and less expensive, so early visits can be a good thing. But because we want to make sure your child doesn’t suffer from dental anxiety, we go out of our way to help make that first visit fun. We will treat your child warmly and let them touch and even play with our dental instruments so they aren’t afraid of them. We even finish the appointment with a balloon or a treat.
Believe it or not, children can start getting cavities almost as soon as their teeth come in. Such situations are certainly rare, but our children’s diets have become more sugar- and carb-heavy over the years. That means we can see preschoolers with cavities so bad, the tooth has to be extracted. Brushing and flossing at any age is still important, as are twice-yearly visits to our family dental office for cleanings and exams.
If your child doesn’t have teeth yet, you can keep the gums clean by using a soft, damp cloth to gently wipe the gums clean. When the baby teeth finally appear, carefully brush the teeth for your child until they can do it themselves. Flossing should usually begin when the teeth start getting close, usually between ages 2 and 6. But one big thing you can do at home is to model the proper behavior for your child. Make sure to let your child see you brush and floss regularly. This way, your child will see both as normal parts of their day and will be more likely to accept brushing and flossing of his or her teeth.
Your child’s first visit is very important, but we can help make sure they love future visits. Call us or email us today to schedule your next appointment.
