A word for parents

Start early when it comes to teaching your child about the importance of dental health

The best thing you can do as a parent is help your child establish a healthy and positive outlook about visiting us.

That will help in the short term, because your child won’t be needlessly anxious. In the long term, youngsters won’t carry anxieties with them into adulthood that could keep them from getting the care they need.

Let’s start at the beginning.

Good dental health starts early. It’s best to bring your child in by his or her first birthday. We’ll take a look, establish a record, and show you how to help keep your child’s teeth clean, which is pretty much a parent’s job until age 3.

At that time children probably will be brushing their own teeth with your supervision.

We’ve found that by age 8, children can brush and floss their teeth properly with little or no supervision.

On your first visit to our office, we’re going to check for signs of decay and early developmental problems. If these problems exist, then the earlier they’re found, the better.

Next, we’ll explain how to care for your child’s teeth.

For example, even though they can brush by themselves by about age 3, they should only use a very small amount of toothpaste – a drop about the size of a pea.

Tooth Eruption Charts
Click on the images below to see a larger version of these pictures showing the development of first and permanent teeth

Like the adults they’ll grow into, children should visit us once every six months. This is important for two reasons: it lets us look for and find problems before they become serious; and it helps your child grow accustomed to seeing us on a regular basis.

Our policy is to be honest – with you and your child. We will explain what we’re going to do, but we’ve found ways to do this without using words that automatically trigger anxiety, such as shot or hurt.

Children don’t like surprises in a dental chair any more than you do. The difference is we won’t detail a procedure for a child. We will explain what we’re doing to help your child relax and cooperate, which will make your visit more enjoyable and much less stressful for you and your child.