The answer I am going to give you is going to sound ridiculous at first, but if you listen to my reasons, you will see exactly why we recommend the following: In general, a child should first see the dentist when their first tooth comes in. There are two reasons for this. The biggest one, at least the one they teach us in dental school, is because teeth exhibit many possible signs of underlying bodily diseases that may otherwise not be discovered until a much later time. There are many genetic disorders and syndromes that show their signs first in the teeth before in any other part of the body. A few examples include ectodermal dysplasia, amelogenesis and dentinogenesis imperfecta and many more. While most of these disorders are indeed somewhat rare, I think common sense tells us that the sooner we can catch them, the better opportunity we have to treat them.
In addition to this, parents must remember a long used phrase about children: “Kids are NOT little adults.” Now, I am sure this makes complete sense to you when you think about the daily things, like why kids think it is fine to eat mac n’ cheese for every meal or why they still can’t put their shoes on the right feet at 10 years old. Or how they can have 103 degree fever and still be functional when us adults would be bedridden and begging to be put out of our misery. So, this phrase is applicable in many areas, but is particularly true in the world of dentistry.
One thing parents need to know about their kid’s teeth is that children’s teeth are “softer” than adult teeth and therefore decay at a much faster and easier rate. Not only are they more susceptible to decay, their nerve tissue within the tooth is much closer to the outside of the tooth than an adult. This makes it much more likely that they will need a “child root canal” or extractions, even with the presence of only small amounts of decay. So, with this in mind, we can see how an early trip to the dentist can minimize problems which may have otherwise become huge problems by waiting.
Another important thing to know is that those baby teeth which seem so unimportant are actually a blessing in disguise. As you will read in subsequent chapters, those little teeth will help pave the way for the future position of the permanent teeth. Extracting them prematurely can cause many cosmetic and functional problems which can be very costly later on.
While I am a dentist, my most challenging job is being a mom. That is why I actually feel that this next reason for going to the dentist at an earlier age is one of the most important. I have rarely seen a child in this age range that is eager and excited to hop up in a large, squeaky chair, in an unfamiliar place and open their mouths for a total stranger wearing latex gloves and a scary mask.
To top it off we expect them to open willingly and let us come at them with large, sharp instruments. Yikes! If they scream just sitting on Santa’s lap, what makes us think they will be excited about going to the dentist? If we take our children young enough and make it a fun place without all the scary stuff first, then their visits will be an experience to look forward to rather than fear. So, the mom side of my persona always wants me to create fun and wonderful experiences for my kids and the kids I treat. The earlier they start seeing the dentist, the less fearful they will be.
I usually suggest that you bring them in with you when you have your own cleanings done every six months (provided you, yourself are not a big chicken). This will reinforce that you are not scared and get them familiarized with the office so that they are comfortable with the surroundings. Eventually, the child will recognize your dental office and look forward to coming with you because they always get a toothbrush, a sticker and a sugar-free lollipop! The biggest miracle of all is, that after a few times, you’re little one will actually beg the dentist to look at their teeth and will ask them to be cleaned. Easy as taking candy from a baby (which, by the way, your baby shouldn’t have candy in the first place-but we’ll talk about that more later)!
If you, as a parent, are a dental-phobe, then have your spouse or someone else take your child so that they ALWAYS begin their dental journey with nothing but a positive experience. Keep in mind that if someone other than the child’s legal guardian takes the child, you will need to give the caretaker some form of written and/or verbal consent for treatment. The laws vary by state, so be sure to inform yourself and also keep good communication with the dental office staff about treatment and finances involved in your child’s care.
If your child is still uncooperative despite all efforts, or your current dentist is not great with kids, then I would highly recommend seeing a pediatric dentist. This kind of dentist sees only children and has the entire office set up for kids, from music, TV, giant kid-friendly murals, puppets and most importantly…sedation.
My general feeling about sedation is that if it is necessary to help your child have a great dental experience, then strongly consider it. If you have to consider sedation as an option, please be sure to discuss with your dentist all of the risks involved with this type of chosen sedation. While sedation is a great opportunity to complete your child’s dental care with ease, there are risks you should be aware of. Though rare, there is the possibility of accidental death as a result of sedation and so the procedure should be considered only if truly necessary. Due to the wide variety of sedation options and the fact that selection of the type of sedation varies by child, I will not go into specific details. Just inform yourself well and use that information to aid in making your decision.
By and large, the number one complaint I hear from my adult patients who are terrified to go to the dentist is that they had a traumatic childhood dental experience. If we start out positively as a child, then we will have no reason to fear the dentist as an adult. Going to the dentist regularly will become a desired, regular occurrence, like birthdays or holidays. Okay, okay, maybe I am exaggerating a little, but they still can be fun experiences for kids!
These bi-annual check-ups and cleanings allow us to catch problems while they are small, thereby keeping most dental procedures extremely conservative for both kids and adults. I know it may seem hard to believe, but going to the dentist really can be an enjoyable (not just a tolerable) experience.
