It’s a good idea to take your child to the dental clinic at a young age so they get used to sitting in the chair and having someone look in their mouth. It is best not to wait until there are decays to be fixed, but go as an introduction to the dentist rather than for any actual treatment. However, each child is different, so if yours is a shy child who doesn’t like strangers, wait until they are a bit older before taking them.
While it may seem unnecessary to take a child for no dental treatment, what you are doing is showing your child that there is nothing to fear, while encouraging them to understand how important it is to keep their teeth healthy by brushing and flossing correctly and regularly.
In addition, if they allow the dentist to look in their mouth, he can often catch a problem and rectify it before it gets any worse. He can usually see at a glance if the teeth are crooked or overcrowded, the shape of the mouth and what is likely to happen as the child gets older. This is all good for you to know in advance so you can be prepared to have it fixed in due course.
The dentist will be able to discuss any potential problems with you while at the same time showing the child there is nothing to fear. Once they see what happens at the dentist, they won’t be afraid to go back for treatment as they get older. At least the environment will be familiar to them.
Sometimes, parents think there is no need to worry about having those first teeth checked out, since they are all going to fall out anyway. But in fact, a problem with the first teeth can cause problems with the regular teeth as they come in. For instance, if the first teeth are decayed, this can affect the health of the other teeth so that by the time they erupt, they too, are decayed.
Another problem is when the first teeth don’t fall out when they should and prevent the normal teeth from coming in, or cause them to be crooked when they do finally emerge. Not all first teeth fall out when they should. If the dentist sees the problem he can often pull that first tooth out without it even hurting. Even if it does hurt, it’s far better to have it done so the second teeth can emerge and grow up straight.
If this doesn’t happen, there will be the need for further treatment and your child will have crooked teeth for many years until they can have treatment to straighten them in their teen years.