You want your child to have the best foundation possible for lifelong dental wellness. An essential part of realizing that goal is starting them out on the right path from the start with their age one dental visit. This first visit will establish your child’s dental home, identify any potential early issues, and provide a variety of additional benefits.

The importance of early dental care.

The first year is among the most important phases of dental development. It’s when your child will first start to have their baby teeth come in. You should typically bring your child in for their first appointment as soon as the first baby tooth erupts. If that hasn’t happened by age one, you should schedule an appointment at that time.

The baby teeth have a major impact on your child’s future oral health. You might think they don’t matter because they fall out anyway, but that simply isn’t the case. The health and alignment of baby teeth impact the emergence and position of adult teeth. Without proper dental care, they could cause lifelong dental issues.

During your child’s first visit to the dentist, any potential dental issues can be identified. There are a variety of problems that may arise at this early stage of development. The dentist will look for concerns, such as enamel defects and oral sores. Spotting them quickly lets your child’s dentist provide more effective and less invasive treatment options.

What to expect during an age one dental visit.

As a new parent, you likely have plenty of questions about what’s going to happen during your child’s age one dental visit. However, there’s nothing to worry about. These are routine appointments that are typically quick and straightforward. The dentist will do everything they can to make the experience as comfortable as possible for everyone involved.

The first visit will include a careful dental evaluation to determine your child’s health and development. The dentist will inspect the gums, any emerged teeth, jaw, bite, and mouth tissues to identify any issues. X-rays typically aren’t carried out during this appointment, unless a particular problem is spotted that requires further evaluation.

Your child will also receive a gentle, teeth cleaning if they have emerged. This is similar to the procedure that you have during each of your routine visits. They’ll remove any plaque and tartar from your baby’s teeth to help prevent tooth decay and gum disease, ensuring a happy and healthy smile.

Establishing a Dental Home

A dental home is somewhere that can provide consistent and compassionate dentistry for children in Kearney. It’s the dental practice you’ll bring your child to for every routine appointment and other procedures in the future. Establishing a dental home has many benefits over switching dentists frequently, both in terms of patient experience and outcomes.

Choosing the right dentist for your child can help them enjoy a lifetime of dental wellness. The dentist will get to know your child over the years, which lets them provide consistent and personalized care. The end result is that your child has the best possible treatment experience throughout their early dental development.

The benefit of having a dentist they know they can trust can’t be overstated. Always going with the same dentist helps reduce dental anxiety in children, making them less apprehensive about routine care and other procedures. Now, they’ll be able to carry that confidence with them as they grow older and make their own oral health decisions.

Benefits Beyond Early Childhood

The benefits of an age one dental visit and routine childhood appointments extend well beyond the early years of life. What you do today builds a foundation for your child that will help them enjoy a strong, healthy smile for years to come.

In the immediate future, the guidance your dentist provides can help you ensure proper oral hygiene and other important dental health habits for your growing child. You can get the advice you need to help guide your child’s oral health in the right direction through brushing and flossing routines, diet, and more.

As your child grows, the care they’ve received for their baby teeth will help the adult teeth come in properly. That sets them up to avoid a variety of dental issues. The experience they’ve had with their dentist means they’ll be more likely to keep up with regular dental care as they age.

Starting Out on the Right Foot

It’s clear that the age one dental visit is an essential part of ensuring your child’s lasting dental wellness. You can give them the best possible foundation by finding the right pediatric dentist in Kearney to handle this important milestone. Schedule your child’s appointment with Pediatric Dental Specialists Kearney today to get started.