Brought to you by: CA KIDDS Pediatric Dentistry
Your child’s oral hygiene is an essential part of their development. While a trip to the dentist at just 12months, might appear to be a scary endeavor, Dr. Jeff Evans & Dr. Jeff Kunkel of CA KIDDS Pediatric Dentistry, have provided you with the tools and knowledge to make their first dental visit a pleasant and successful adventure.
What age should a child first see a dentist?
The American Academy of Pediatrics, the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry, and the American Dental association all recommend that a child see the dentist within six months of getting their first tooth but no later than 1 year old.
Why? What is going on that needs to monitored and possibly avoided or treated?
Typically at age one there is not anything that will require treatment. There are multiple studies that show that a child who sees a dentist by age one is much less likely tohave dental decay between the ages of 3 and 5 than a child who sees a dentist for the first time between the ages of 3 and 5. Just as your child’s pediatrician educates you as a parent regarding important health do’s and don’ts and the milestones you should expect your child to meet, a pediatric dentist will help you as a parent understand better how to care for your child’s teeth, how to address dental injuries, and how to catch a developing dental problem before it becomes a major issues. This dissemination of information from doctor to parent is known as anticipatory guidance and is a major part of the infant oral exam.
There are, however, cases in which very young children, have dental decay which needs to be treated even at age one. Dental decay at a young age can develop un-noticed by parents for a number of reasons including improper oral hygiene, improper diet, and genetic disorders. Taking your child to see a pediatric dentist at a very young age can help to prevent such problems from happening and catch and address these problems at an early stage if they are already occurring.
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If you have any questions regarding this article or to receive more information on CA KIDDS Pediatric Dentistry, feel free to contact Dr. Jeff Evans & Dr. Jeff Kunkel at www.calkidds.com, or call (559) 439-6600.
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