Do you know the age in which your child should first visit the dentist? Most people think they have to wait until most of their child's teeth are erupted, or when they actually start getting their adult teeth. However, Dr. Geoffrey Gonzales, our pediatric dentist, recommends seeing his patients as early as the age of one. And, the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry agrees. According to an article on CNN "...The eruption of that first tooth, between the ages of 3 and 9 months, should be a signal to parents to schedule a child's first dental appointment -- and one should be scheduled no later than age 1."
The reason why pediatric dentists, like Dr. Gonzales, recommend seeing children early on is to educate parents, evaluate the teeth that are under the gums, establish a good daily hygiene routine and help the child feel comfortable at the dentist.
Tooth decay can happen when a child drinks a bottle of milk or juice and does not rinse out his/her mouth or brush his/her teeth. Don't be fooled that baby teeth don't need to be taken care of because they eventually fall out. Some of the baby teeth may still in place when children enter middle school, so it is just as important to take care of those teeth as it is to take care of adult teeth. If any tooth, baby or adult, is left untreated with tooth decay, infection, pain, or abscesses may happen.
Be sure to schedule an appointment for your children by the age of one, and keep their regular hygiene appointments every six months. For more information about pediatric dentistry, please visit our Website or call us at (908) 634-4018.
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