One thing is for sure: No one is born with perfect oral health. Good dental health must be taught, learned, and practiced. For children, these lessons must come early and they must be reinforced by an experienced pediatric dentist.
In recent years, the recommended age for the first dental visit has dropped from age 7 down to age 1 in order to emphasize the prevention of the most common childhood dental diseases. Statistics have shown that children who did not receive routine dental care until age 7 displayed a much higher incidence of cavities and other preventable dental problems.
Research from that time indicated that, by age 6 or 7, children had become more accustomed to convenience foods and sweetened juices without receiving proper instruction on the importance of brushing and flossing after meals. Granola bars, cookies, and juice boxes during the day without the opportunity to rinse or brush left millions of children with advanced tooth decay, tooth loss and poor oral hygiene habits.
The delay in dental care also proved to be a disadvantage for parents. Many parents and childcare providers did not receive valuable information about caring for their children’s teeth and monitoring developing dental conditions. Issues such as thumb-sucking, baby bottle cavities, and dietary habits can often be prevented when professional advice is offered as early (and as frequently) as possible.
Scheduling a dental visit for your one-year old bundle of joy may at first seem peculiar. Perhaps your baby is only sporting one or two teeth. These early appointments are quite valuable, however, because they enable your pediatric dentist to begin monitoring your child’s dental growth and development right away. These early visits also present an opportunity in which parents can learn more about their own responsibilities as oral hygiene providers for their children.
With early routine care, young children learn to view good oral hygiene as a normal part of their daily lives, and they are less likely to be fearful about entering the dental office. To schedule an appointment for your little one, contact Richardson Dentistry at (972) 218-0078 today.
