The American Academy of Pediatrics and American Dental Association recommend that parents take their child for their first dental checkup no later than their first birthday, or approximately 6 months after their first tooth erupts.
Early preventive dental care helps ensure the long term health of your child’s smile as well as decrease their risk for developing dental diseases.
What Happens At Their First Visit?
At your child’s first visit to Anchorage Midtown Dental Center Center, one of our highly trained team members will discuss oral habits and oral hygiene care with you and your child. Depending on the comfort level of your child, they may also have x-rays taken and their teeth cleaned. One of our Anchorage dentists will visit with you one-on-one to examine your child and discuss your child’s teeth, oral anatomy, medical and family histories. This first appointment is more informative than others, allowing your child to become accustomed to the dental experience. Typically the first visit is not for dental treatment unless your child is experiencing a dental emergency. Most treatment such as fillings are scheduled in a timely manner after their first visit, in order to reduce a negative experience or discomfort.
Establishing a positive repertoire with their dentist early on allows children to relax and remain comfortable during their lifetime of dental care. At Anchorage Midtown Dental Center Center our team uses non-threatening, positive language that diminishes anxiety with any treatment procedures your child may be in need of.
But Won’t Their Baby Teeth Fall Out?
Decay in baby teeth can spread to adjacent teeth and cause complications in their adult teeth as well. The goal of early preventive care is to prevent dental disease as well as catch it in the earliest stages. This maintains natural healthy tooth structure as well as reduces the chance of dental emergencies and the costs of extensive treatment needs. Even if your child has never seen the dentist, our Anchorage dental office can get them caught up on any necessary dental care that they may need.
How Can You Ensure My Child’s Comfort?
Children with severe dental anxiety or who have special needs may require special accommodations for their dental care. We work closely with parents and their children to make every visit a positive one. If necessary we can offer sleep dentistry, which allows your child to have all necessary dental treatment completed in a single visit. For standard treatments we offer nitrous oxide (laughing gas) to help your child feel at ease during their treatment.