Many parents think that baby teeth are not that important and some do not see the need to take their children to the dentist. What most parents should realize is that, proper dental care begins as soon as baby’s first tooth emerges from the gums.
First visits are mostly about getting the child acquainted with the dentist, reducing their anxiety and fears, and more importantly focuses on educating parents and caregivers on how to care for the baby’s teeth.
On the first visit, an oral examination is done and it can reveal current as well as potential problems in the teeth that most parents would normally not bother paying attention to, especially when the child is not complaining yet, like the pretty seemingly harmless looking white spots seen on the front teeth which is the earliest sign of tooth decay.
A lot of dental problems can be prevented and are easier addressed and treated in the early stages. Adding to that, early preventive oral care in children can greatly lessen or even avoid costly and serious dental problems as they grow.
A caries risk assessment is given which means discussing the risk of the child in developing tooth decay, which gives parents a better understanding for the need of a thorough oral health care. And if it is indicated, cleaning of the teeth may be performed and an assessment for the need for fluoride may be given. Normally, dental first visits for kids are usually short and involves very little procedure done. What is given much importance to is not just checking the teeth of the child but also educating the parents regarding the oral care basics like good oral hygiene practices, fluoride needs, oral habits such as thumb or finger sucking, tongue thrusting, diet or nutrition counseling, and developmental milestones.
It is critical to identify children at greatest risk for caries as early as possible and initiate comprehensive dental treatment to achieve this lifetime of good oral care and freedom from preventable oral disease. It is generally advised and as recommended by the American Association of Pediatric Dentistry (AAPD) and the Philippine Pediatric Dental Society (PPDSI), that a child is seen by the dentist at the age of one or his first birthday.
In that, bringing the child to the dentist at such an early age comes to be the best way to prevent tooth decay and oral diseases, later in his adult life.
Jeanne Marie G. Ciño, DMD, FPFA
Member, Philippine Pediatric Dental Society, Inc. (PPDSI)
Member, International Association of Pediatric Dentistry (IAPD)