At Gentle Dental we follow the Australian Dental Association’s recommendation that your baby should visit the dentist when their first tooth comes through (usually around 6 months of age) or 12 months, whichever comes first.
You’re probably wondering why we recommend such an early age. Our Gentle Dentists focus on preventive dentistry so the first visit is designed more as a discussion with you and any questions you may have, with the bonus of meeting your gorgeous bub! This visit is important for the parent to discuss a plan for their child’s ongoing dental health. Prevention is always better than cure and the knowledge gained from the first visit will be things like:
- Teething and timing of teeth coming through
- Brushing techniques
- Signs of oral disease to look for
- Decay risk and how to prevent it
- Nutritional advice
- Orthodontic considerations
- Building rapport for continuation of fun dental visits!
Although 12 months old may be a bit too young to build a solid memory for your child, research has shown that repeated exposure to particular environments decrease stress by encouraging familiarity. We’ve noticed this in our young patients aged as young as 3 years old, that we’re able to do treatment on them because they are already used to the dentist.
It also helps that we have a TV on the ceiling for them to watch and they get a toothbrush, toothpaste AND a toy or sticker to take home after the visit!
All our dentists and staff love babies and kids!
