From what age should your child go to the dentist for the first time? And is it smart to go to a pediatric dentist, or is that not necessary at all? Do you take your child with you when you go to the dentist yourself, or not? This -and more questions- about the first dentist are discussed in this interview with a pediatric dentist in Amsterdam.
Table of contents
Let's start at the beginning. Even before you go to the dentist for the first time, it is important that you have already started brushing your teeth.
It is advised to start brushing your teeth from the moment the first tooth has erupted. If the first tooth erupts, plaque can form on the tooth if brushing is not done or is not done properly. And if there is dental plaque, bacteria are given room to grow. This can also create a hole.
The only way to prevent bacteria from growing is to keep the tooth clean. Brushing, of course, does not have to take that long, especially when there is only one tooth. The most important thing is that it is a nice moment for your child and that there is a routine in brushing your teeth. The moment children experience brushing their teeth as something positive from an early age, there is of course a much greater chance that they will also be positive about brushing their teeth later in life.
So try to avoid a fight. Rewarding with a candy is not that smart of course, but there are all kinds of other methods to make brushing your teeth more fun. Think, for example, of singing songs or humming while brushing your teeth. Pull or brush crazy faces with a Magic timer from Oral B, for example. Or let your child brush your teeth while you brush your child's. Say, for example, that you count to 20 and then it is ready, but count slowly enough so that everything is clean.
It is best to go to the dentist for the first time after the first tooth has broken out - together with the start of brushing your teeth.
That may sound a bit strange because the child can often not even sit up straight, but there is a very good reason for this. In recent years, extensive research has taken place in Den Bosch. This research has shown that children who go to the dentist from the first tooth and who receive good guidance in keeping their teeth clean, achieve a significant head start.
The children who went to the dentist for the first time after the first tooth had 70% fewer cavities than other children. A great result!
Ps… It is so important that your child's teeth are well maintained from an early age that dental appointments up to the age of 18 are covered by the basic insurance. So you don't have to worry about that. Please note that the costs for braces are not included in this.
There is fluoride in regular toothpaste. Fluoride is very important to prevent cavities, but otherwise not really healthy. There is less fluoride in children's toothpaste, the amount of fluoride builds up as the child gets older. The taste of children's toothpaste is also often slightly softer. Or feel free to say… just delicious 😉 .
You may not realize it yet, but children's toothbrushes are softer than adult toothbrushes. This is to prevent damage to the gums or enamel.
When brushing your teeth, movement is especially important and not how hard you brush. Even for adults, the hard and normal manual toothbrushes are often too hard. What do you use yourself?
It is important for children up to the age of 10 to always brush their teeth. Your child has not yet developed enough motor skills to keep their teeth clean. Independence is of course important and a child is also allowed to brush himself, but keep brushing to prevent cavities.
You'll probably start with a regular toothbrush first, but if you can, switch to an electric toothbrush as soon as possible. An electric toothbrush makes thousands of brushing movements in a very short time. It also makes the teeth much cleaner than a manual toothbrush can do.
Tip:With an electric toothbrush, hold it still for a few seconds per tooth. So you no longer have to make a brushing movement yourself. The electric toothbrush does the work for you and this way you get the best clean teeth.
Yes. Kids can definitely get cavities in their teeth. That is why the first time to the dentist should also be planned as early as possible. Cavities are very often preventable. The dentist pays attention to the correct way to keep the teeth clean in order to prevent plaque and eventually cavities.
If there is a starting hole, it does not always need to be treated. That depends on how big the hole is. If the hole is still very small, you can still stop the hole through good brushing and good eating and drinking habits. You didn't know that, did you?
If the hole is larger, it is first checked whether the hole can be filled. If the hole is too big for that, there is a possibility to place a silver-coloured children's crown, so you try to keep the tooth as long as possible. If that is no longer possible either, the tooth will have to be extracted.
The most important thing, of course, is to prevent children from getting scared. Therefore, take your child to the dentist for the first time early so that he or she becomes familiar with the dentist and the dental practice from an early age. Do you have a dental phobia yourself? Then it is not smart to go with your child. After all, you don't want your child to be afraid of the dentist. Maybe your partner has no problems with the dentist and can come along the first times?
Schedule appointments at the start of the day. A dentist appointment can of course be a bit exciting and then it is nice if the child is fit and well rested.
Make sure that everything around the dentist is approached positively. Discuss with him or her what is going on and build up the visits. First just lie in the chair and open your mouth. The next visit put a mirror in your mouth and feel the teeth. This way you can slowly grow your child's trust in the doctor.
Perhaps the dentist will advise you to come a little more regularly, but it is certainly worth it if your child goes to the dentist with confidence after a while.
I have to admit that I have done this myself, but now that I read this advice below, I completely understand that it is not smart. The first time to the dentist should be a good experience!
Suppose, for example, that the dentist removes some tartar, then you know for yourself what will happen, but the high-pitched sound can be quite frightening for children.
Your dentist may have already told you, but if not, here's this tip:Make sure that your child does not eat and drink throughout the day. This ensures that the teeth are exposed to acids and sugars all the time. It is better, for example, to drink a bottle or cup of lemonade in one go.
Try to limit eating and drinking to a maximum of seven times a day. This means three main meals and four snacks. You can read more tips for healthy teeth in this blog.
Shutterstock photo by Aleksandr Lupine
