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Child’s First Dental Visit
Dental Care
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Child's First Dental Visit
The Australian Dental Association recommends that your child’s first oral health visit take place at 12 months of age, or shortly after the eruption of the first baby teeth.
Around your child’s first birthday, once teeth have erupted, it is time for their first visit to the dentist! This appointment is not only important for the health of your child’s teeth (to check for early signs of trouble) but also for your child to get acquainted with the dental surgery and make it a happy place to visit. In the past, many people feared the dentist – but we now find that most of our kiddie patients love to visit us and we love to make it a fun experience for everyone.
So what might we do at the first dental visit?
Undertake an initial assessment of dental problems such as decay and to make sure your child’s teeth are appearing in the right order as well as screen the oral tissues for disease.
- We will clean your child’s teeth.
- Application of a light fluoride varnish if needed
- Provide any further dental treatment.
- Provide tips on oral health care.
- Set up an ongoing care routine.
By starting at this early age, you will help your child build a lifetime of good dental habits. We are looking forward to meeting your family and are excited that you are proactive in the health and dental care of your baby.
What if my child feels anxious about visiting the dentist?
It is understandable some children may feel anxious or frightened about visiting the dentist. We suggest for parents to bring them along to your own regular check-up appointment so they can watch what happens and get used to the environment. It tends to help if they can anticipate what happens during a dental visit.
We have experienced and caring staff who are able to provide a pleasant environment for your children. The patience of our dentists also greatly increases the comfort level of children in our surgery.
We do, however, suggest you ensure your child is not too tired or ill on the day of the appointment; so we can make the experience a pleasant and happy one.
In rare instances, if extensive dental treatment is needed for an anxious child, we may suggest referral to see a paediatric dentist for a general anaesthetic. It will reduce the chance of scaring the child and avert a future phobia of dentists.