Q
My son is nine months old. When should he start visiting the dentist?
-Chat (Vancouver, British Columbia)
A
Dear Chat,
Your child should start seeing the dentist as soon as his first tooth erupts (between 6 to 12 months old) or by his first birthday at the latest*.
At this age, most children are not yet suffering from pain caused by tooth decay. You will be helping your child develop a positive attitude towards dentists by bringing him for an early "pain-less" dental check up.
This way, your child can get comfortable with the experience, and taking them to the dentist in the future will be much easier!
At your child's first dental visit, the dentist will be able to give you advice on how to prevent tooth decay specifically for your child. This is very important especially if your child is susceptible to tooth decay.
If your child's teeth already have "white spot lesions"--- a sign of the early stage of tooth decay---the dentist will be able to start treatment without filling the tooth but by painting a fluoride varnish on the tooth.
To read more about a child's first dental visit, click here.
*Recommended by the Vancouver Coastal Health, Canadian Dental Association, American Association of Pediatric Dentistry, American Dental Association, and other professional dental organizations.
