Ideally the best time is as soon as you notice teeth or before their 1st birthday. This is because you want to try and get your children accustomed to the dentist at a young age and habits formed form a young age tend to last a lot longer
When should I bring my children to the see the dentist?
What does the dentist do for the children?
The main way we treat children is through prevention. The dentist will ask about your child’s sugar and acidic food and drink intake, as these can harm their teeth, as well as their brushing habits. They will then give advice to help improve your child’s oral hygiene and diet, reducing the risk of problems in the future.
How else does the dentist help?
The main role of a dentist is to educate patients and prevent problems from developing. One key preventive measure is the application of fluoride varnish, which has strong evidence showing that it strengthens teeth and reduces the risk of decay. This can be applied from around the age of three through to adulthood.
The frequency of application depends on the child’s level of risk: twice a year for low-risk patients, three times a year for medium-risk patients, and four times a year for high-risk patients. This is considered one of the most important preventive treatments available.
If the dentist detects early signs of a problem, they may apply fissure sealants or carry out a procedure known as a PRR (Preventive Resin Restoration). This involves cleaning the deep grooves (fissures) of the tooth and sealing them to prevent future decay.
What happens if my child has a hole in their tooth?
The dentist will usually check for any decay in every visit, usually holes will be cleaned out and filled, sometimes they are left depending on what the dentist finds. Again prevent is better then cure so we would always what to avoid this situation arising
What if my child need a tooth taken out?
Teeth are taken out for a number of reasons and usually if they child is complainant it is very straightforward. If they child cannot tolerate this procedure a referral can be sent but again in todays current climate it can be a very long wait!
What about braces?
The dentist will constantly assess your child at every visit for orthodontic needs. The usual age for referral is 12 years of age or when they have lost all of their primary teeth or unless the dentist notices a potential need for early intervention. Unfortunately this is becoming more and more restricted and many children as being denied due to lack if government funding and every changing qualifying criteria’s . Some parents are opting for private ortho, you can ask your dentist about this.