When should my son see a dentist?

Question

he's 18mo. I brush his teeth everyday, the only thing I am concerned about is some teeth that have'nt come thtough yet.

Answer 1

I think when they start school.
As they have young teeth it isn't as bad as adults.
As long as you brush them twice a day it should be ok.
Start taking them at about 4 years old or so.

If some teeth haven't come trough he is still developing them, when he has his full set start taking him then if you feel necessary.

Answer 2

The short answer is "First visit by first birthday," according to the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry. More than 1 in 4 children in the United States have cavities by the time they are 4 years old, sometimes as early as age 2. To prevent early childhood cavities, parents first have to find out their child's risk of developing cavities, then learn how to manage diet, hygiene and fluoride to prevent problems before they start.

My two daughters had there first visit when they were twelve months old. The doctor just looked at their teeth. He made sure they were coming in the correct way. My eldest daughter is a thumb sucker so he looked at how the teeth and gums would be affected. They have gone every six months since age one. They are 5 and 3 now.

Answer 3

According to the American Dental Association -and most other dental associations children should see the dentist 6 months after their first tooth breaks the gum OR 12 months whichever is FIRST.

That means if your baby cuts their first tooth at 4 months then you should make a dentist appointment for 10 months. If your child cuts their first tooth after 6 months or even has no teeth at 12 months you should still see a dentist at 12 months. Just because you brush their teeth doesn't mean that there can't be problems and if you can catch them when they are just soft spots or plaque then they can be treated with fluoride varnish, professional cleaning, prescription toothpastes, sealants, etc.

If cavities have already formed you are looking at the fun of waiting until the child is big enough to go under anesthetic vs how rapidly the cavities get worse. My son is going under anesthetic next month -he will be 18 months old. It is probable that if I hadn't waited 5 months to go through public insurance when I saw the first chip out of his enamel at 12 months that would have been fixable without going under anesthetic

Unfortunately this message isn't getting out and most normal dentists not only won't see kids under three years of age, they don't even recommend it.

BTW you are probably looking at least a month wait for an appointment with a pediatric dentist (I suspect this is a specialty few sane people would choose).

http://www.ada.org/prof/resources/positions/statements/caries.asp
4. The Association urges parents and guardians, as a child's first tooth erupts, to consult with their dentist regarding:

* Scheduling the child's first dental visit. It is advantageous for the first visit to occur within six months of eruption of the first tooth and no later than 12 months of age, and

* Receiving oral health education based on the child's developmental needs (also known as anticipatory guidance).

Answer 4

My daughter is 20 months and she has been 3 times now 6 months apart. It helps her get used to the dentist and the chair. Shes normally pretty good but yesturday she wouldn't open her mouth, took ages to do it. All they do at this age is count the teeth. My other daughter is 7 and she goes too, they give us an appointment for all 3 together so they see me having my teeth looked at and its less scary for them

Answer 5

In theory, he should see a dentist as soon as he has teeth. This way he's not scared of them. A good pediatric dentist would be great with him at this age, they "count his teeth" and everything. (In other words, they make it like a game so it's not scary.) If you don't know of a pediatric dentist near you, ask his doctor for a recommendation. You want someone who sees a lot of kids, not someone who sees one six year old a year. (Those don't know how to interact with a toddler.)

Answer 6

I started taking my boys when they were 1 year old. Not because I had any concerns, but so they could get use to the dentist. They both do really well now when they have to get their teeth cleaned.

Answer 7

a child's first visit to a peds dentist should be at 12 months and then every 6 months there after for the rest of there life

Answer 8

I have 2 kids and took both them at 3 yrs old. I think 18 months is a bit young and he might not sit still for the exam.
All kids teeth come in different my daughter got teeth very early but my son's took their time. I dont really think it's anything to worry about.

Good luck

Answer 9

It is recommended that you take them when they are a year old. (I didn't take my first daughter until she was 3). Bad baby teeth can lead to bad adult teeth.

Answer 10

No...wait till he's 3 1/2 or 4. Unless you see evident decay or a dental emergency. Keep brushing them and getting him used to brushing them the correct way. He's still a baby in my eyes.