The American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry recommends children see a dentist when their first tooth appears, and no later than their first birthday.
During the ‘first-tooth visit’, the dentist will check for proper oral and facial development, examining to see if the teeth are growing in properly, and checking for any early tooth decay.
This visit also gives the dentist a chance to walk parents through a complete program of home dental care for the child, including nutritional, environmental, and preventive habits.
While it may be tempting to avoid taking a child to the dentist to save money, studies show that children who have their first dental visit before age one have a 40 percent lower dental cost overall in their first five years than children who don’t visit the dentist before age one, making preventive care a sound health and economic decision.
The significance of baby teeth:
Despite the fact that baby teeth are eventually replaced by permanent adult teeth, it’s important that baby teeth remain healthy and in place until they’re lost naturally as they serve several critical functions, including: