From what age should my child see the dentist?
The first dental visit is best planned around 2.5 to 3 years of age. It is wise to introduce your child to the dentist at an early age. Around 2.5 years of age, all baby teeth have also normally erupted.
We recommend that you bring your child with you when you come for checkups by yourself or with an older sibling. This way your child experiences that going to the dentist is no big deal at all. Getting used to the new environment is the most important thing. Depending on what your child allows, we already let him or her crawl on the chair, open the mouth, look with a mirror, polish the teeth. We don’t force anything so that it remains a fun experience for your child.
We recommend 6-monthly check-ups. This is important to build a good relationship of trust with the dentist. During these checkups, dietary advice and brushing instructions are given as needed. Mouth development is reviewed and phasing out negative influences such as thumb sucking or a pacifier is discussed with parents.
Then, when a cavity should need to be filled, the child already has a great deal of confidence in the dentist and this can often be resolved in the chair without a problem.