When should I take my child for their first dental visit ?
Most of the worlds oral health advocatory bodies, including our own Australian Dental Association, recommend that a child’s first dental examination occurs at the time of the eruption of the first tooth and no later than 12 months of age. And while this may seem too early, there are good reasons for this.
- Decay rates in a developed country like ours are on the rise because of intake of sugars (over 40% of children under 6 have dental decay). As parents what we do not realise is that many foods said to be “healthy” contain hidden sugars. The first dental visit is about beginning this conversation!
- Creating a “Dental Home” for your child – At later stages, six-monthly preventative dental visits have been shown to be effective in identifying risk factors early and preventing dental disease. Starting them young helps to create positive attitudes to good oral health and dentistry in general.
- Diet and oral hygiene – The dreaded “hole” is often the final product of a process that began soon after the tooth erupted. This is simply because early decay is not visible to the untrained eye. Early visits help identify any potential sites prone to decay but also discuss simple ways to prevent dental disease particularly with regard to diet and hygiene.
- Making the first visit positive – Sadly, most of the patients we see come to us too late. Mostly, in pain or with a hole! This often feeds into dental fear and anxiety. Starting them early may help to prevent the first visit being one with pain and need for extensive courses of treatment!
If you have any questions or want one of our specialists to see your child, feel free to contact us via email on hello@macpd.net.au or head over to make an appointment via our easy online booking tab. We are now across two locations , Camden and Willoughby and you do not need a referral to see us
If you wish to speak to us, give us a call on (02)9188-0202