A common questions new parents ask is “When should I start taking my child to the dentist?” The American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry say the first visit should be around the time the child turns one year old. Most Pediatricians agree.

Many times parents are surprised that a dentist would want to see a patient at such a young age. However national studies show that the younger dental patients (preschool aged children) are the patients getting the most cavities. Did you know that more than one out of four children in the U.S. has a cavity before the age of four? Some kids start getting them before that.

Much of your child’s oral health is education-based for parents. They need to learn the risks of their baby developing cavities and learn the right diets, hygiene and fluoride protocol for their child.

But it isn’t just cavities that parents need to understand. When they take their child for their age one dental check here are some topics that need to be discussed:

• How to care for an infant’s or toddler’s mouth
• Proper use of fluoride
• Oral habits, including finger and thumb sucking
• Ways to prevent accidents that could damage the face and teeth
• Teething and milestones of development
• The link between diet and oral health

After this first visit, the staff will probably want to see your child once every six months, though this may vary depending on the child. Either way, it’s never too early to start good dental habits!

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(source: Colgate)