Children should receive dental checkups starting at 2 years old. Early dental visits are beneficial, so we can help parents take care of their children’s oral health. Once they reach a certain age, we may recommend fissure sealants to protect their teeth.
Children’s Checkups
Regular dental checkups for children are important. Nearly half of all 8-year-olds have visible signs of decay on their teeth, which can be prevented with proper dental care and guidance.
Start Children’s Dental Appointments Early
Once your baby has teeth, you should come to see us and learn how to properly care for your child’s oral health. We recommend a dental checkup every 6 to 12 months to make sure your child’s teeth are healthy. There are plenty of reasons to start children’s dental checkups early. Here are some top reasons to come see us.
Reduce fear of going to the dentist
Fear is a learned behaviour, perhaps picked up from parents, siblings or peers. Building familiarity with our dental team from a young age helps diminish that sense of fear. The earlier a child starts seeing the dentist, the more relaxed they are for future visits with us.
Build oral health habits
We offer paediatric dental care to teach children and parents about the importance of oral health at a young age. Showing kids and parents how to brush, floss and take care of their teeth instills good habits early. Building a foundation of excellent habits at a young age sets children up for better long-term oral health. Additionally, children who start visiting us early are more likely to have a good attitude for future dental visits.
Check tooth development and find problems early
Just as children see a doctor for checkups regarding physical development, they should visit the dentist to ensure their teeth are developing properly too. Our dentist checks your child’s gums, teeth, and bite and notices the development of the teeth and jaw. If there are any issues, we can talk about whether orthodontic treatment is needed and what that looks like going forward.
Regular visits with our dental team give us the opportunity to catch and manage problem areas early. Without dental checkups, children’s oral health issues may get worse, making treatment more involved and more expensive to fix.
For example, cavities can happen in primary teeth as well as permanent ones. At the checkup, the dental team can take X-rays to find any cavities hiding within the teeth or show any problems with the gums. Checkups allow us to start treatment right away.
