When is it time to have the first dental checkup of your baby?
By tinonzo
@tinonzo (67)
Philippines
May 4, 2009 11:42pm CST
Some say that they should reach two years old to begin their dental checkups. Some after they have grown all their baby teeth.
My mom, a nurse, is saying though that this has changed. I should schedule my baby's first dental checkup when he has grown his first tooth.
So when is it really? Up to now, I still haven't scheduled an appointment with a dentist. And does it have to be a pediatric dentist? I am worried that If I wait too long, my baby's teeth would not grow right and he would need braces and retainers when he grows up
2 responses
@StrawberryKisses (2833)
• Canada
5 May 09
In Canada it is recommended at 1 yr old but most regular dentists won't take a child under 3. I have never heard of babies going to a dentist when they get their first tooth. just make sure you start brushing your baby's teeth as soon as he/she gets them.
@StrawberryKisses (2833)
• Canada
6 May 09
just buy a baby's toothbrush and "normal kids" toothpaste and brush like you would your own teeth. when I first started I would brush the teeth then I gave the toothbrush to my kids so they could do it too, it made it more fun and they actually wanted to brush. you should use normal kids toothpaste because baby toothpaste is full of sugar and doesn't protect the teeth since it has no floride.
@eileenvp (2)
• Philippines
6 May 09
I read somewhere that you should bring your son/daughter to the dentist at the first sign of his/her tooth. I really don't know the exact purpose of this but for me, this would make the child comfortable with the dentist as he/she grows up.
So everytime I see the growing teeth of my 10th month old son, it reminds me to visit the dentist. So two days ago, we visited the pediatric dentist. Sadly, the dentist was not keen in looking at the five growing teeth of my son. I told her about the placement of my son's teeth cause it seems that the lower teeth is more prominent than the upper. She just simply looked at it and told me that the shape of the face of the baby is still changing and it's too early to tell if it will be a problem until the permanent teeth show up. So for me, it is not really very urgent to bring your son/daughter to the dentist but at least it was a nice experience so that the baby/child will get used to the idea of visiting the dental clinic.
