Why Your Dentist Wants To See Your Child By The Time They Turn One

Good dental hygiene becomes important to your child at an early age. The American Academy of Pediatrics suggests taking your child in for their first visit at around one year old. Getting your child accustomed to proper dental care early helps them to build healthy dental habits that they'll keep throughout their life. It also reduces the risk that your child will face a number of dental issues even in their childhood.

Tooth Problems from Thumb Sucking and Pacifiers

Both of these habits can cause the child's teeth to be pushed out of alignment and create a bite that is off. The jaw muscles can become painful because the of the misaligned bite. Your child can even have difficulty with their speech. Your dentist can evaluate the impact of these habits at your child's first visit and recommend ways to prevent any dental damage.

Baby Teeth Cavities

Your child can get cavities before their permanent teeth come in. Their baby teeth form the initial alignment for the child's bite. If these teeth develop cavities or become misaligned, the adult teeth may grow in crooked. Straight, healthy baby teeth will help to make sure the adult teeth come in and retain a proper bite alignment.

Teething Irritation

As the adult teeth come in, it's common for a baby to do teething behaviors. This usually means the child will gain some comfort from chewing on something soft and pliable. Talk to your dentist about the best teething items and have several available whenever you are with your child. When they need to teeth, they may grab the first thing they can put into their mouth. 

Dangers of the Baby Bottle

A particular condition called "baby bottle tooth decay" happens when your child is frequently given high-sugar content drinks from a bottle. The position of the bottle against the teeth keeps sugar in contact with the enamel, encouraging decay. Fruit juice is a common problem. While the intention is to provide your child with a healthy drink, the sugar can damage your child's teeth. Talk with your dentist about alternative drinks and bottle designs to reduce this risk.

In their first year, a child's dental development is affected by their food, drinks and the design of baby bottles and pacifiers. Your dentist can give you the latest information on what to watch for. Get your child started right with their dental care by treating them to their first dentist's appointment around the age of one. If you can help your child develop good dental care with dr r wilczek family dentist, you'll save them from having painful dental problems in the future.


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