first dental appointment?

[homemademomma]

at what age did your dc have their first dental appointment?

[homemademomma]

[beth144]

my dd is 16mo. i will probably wait until she is 2 and then take her to the pediactric dentist here in town unless i notice something suspcious (dark spot). i've seen many patients for their first visit anywhere from 3-5 yrs. of age. sometimes this is too late and sometimes it works out just fine.

[akkimmie]

We were told at 3 years old?

[JBaxter]

I was a hygienist for years and ususally about 3 unless you see a problem before then.I started cleaning my own boys teeth at about 3.

[avalonfaith]

we asked our dentist and she said she doesn't like seeing them before 3, there's not much they can do.

[goosysmom]

i was told to bring her in as soon as she had all her teeth..2y molars and such...just to see that they were where they were supposed to be and such....

my family has a history of weak enamel and such and dh's is strong like steel..lol...just wanted to take her in and check things out....

he said that things looked fine, she enjoyed the visit and we are taking her back just after her third birthday...

[3timesamama]

Our pediatrician always told us to take them to the dentist when they were 3 and my two older boys have ended up with a lot of cavities.
So we brought our older boys yesterday to a new dentist and they asked us why they weren't seeing our littlest who's almost 2.
So the dentist ended up putting this gel on his teeth which will protect him from cavities and they just reapply every 6 months till he's old enough to do the regular cleanings and treatments.
I thought it was a big relief because he still nurses ALOT through the night and I always have that little worry in the back of my mind about cavities.

[akkimmie]

3timesamama great info- I'm going to take ds in ASAP

[hakeber]

I haven't yet brought ds (he'll be 18 mths this month) but last night I went to the dentists to have a cavity filled and there was a three year old there screaming his bloody head off. I asked what was going on and the dentist said that he had cavaties in ALL of his teeth and needed three root canals...

I was so sad, I started crying on the spot.

I plan to Benjamin in as soon as his molars break through the skin. Right now he won't open his mouth for love nor money.

I don't think I have heard a sound quite so heartbreaking. I headed straight to the Pharmacy and bought three more toddler toothbrushes for the cupboard.

[cam&kat's_mom]

Ds went at 2 1/2 for his first visit. DD will be 2 in 2 weeks and goes for her first visit in December. The ped said 3 years to start but our dentist prefers to see them at 18 months (which we didn't know until Ds went fo rhis second cleaning this spring and the dentist asked how old DD was and why she hadn't been scheduled yet (she wa s18 months at teh time) ) So she will go this fall whehn Ds goes back for his check. He didn't have any cavities or anythign wrong so hoping it stays tha tway. DD doesnt' appear to have any either, and she brushes like a fiend so I doubt she will have any when we go. We had to find a pediatric dentist cuase all the other dentist here won't see kids until they are 3, and sometimes 3 is too late

[dani76]

I had read by their first birthday. I took DD in at 14 months. He just looked at her teeth, but we knew there was decay/weak enamel.

[mamabohl]

my oldest at 2, the youngest at 18 months because by then his teeth were rotting away. I now wish I had taken him in as soon as his first tooth erupted - at 6 months. Then we could have #1) caught it early and #2) gotten him used to the dentist.

ETA my dentist (a family dentist, not ped) also told me he wants to see them as soon as their first tooth comes in. (he told me this AFTER my ds came in for his first apt at 18 months, d'oh!) It would be more to get the baby used to having the dentist take a peek in the mouth, not a real cleaning, and so they could catch anything early.

[umsami]

My dentist said 3 years old... which is what we were planning. My pediatrician, whose wife is a dentist, said 18 months. As we are still looking for a pediatric dentist, it will probably be at 3.

I recently read that they can apply sealants to the baby teeth that make a big difference in terms of caries/cavities showing up... so that may be why younger is better. My nephew had 3 cavities already when he showed up for his 1st dental appt. Poor little guy.

[dani76]

I was just told by a great pediatric dentist that he likes to see kids at 6 months or when they get their first tooth. Waiting until 3 can be too late! They can show you how to properly clean their teeth and help you with healthy snacks.

Find a good dentist and take your children to the dentist.