What Age should My Child See A Dentist?

Many parents don't really know when your supposed to take your child to his/her first dentist appointment. There are a lot of parents who fail to take their child to the dentist for the first time until they are between 4-5 yrs old. 

My daughter, Kaylee (4yrs old)

As parents I am sure we can all agree that one of the most important things we can teach our children is good health and in order to be healthy, you have to have good oral hygiene habits. This includes taking good care of your teeth. Making sure that your child brushes his/her teeth at least twice daily is a great way to teach good oral hygiene, but when should we take them to the dentist? 


Well the American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that you take your child for their first dental visit and cleaning at 1 year of age (12 months). I know this may sound young, however your child has all his/her baby teeth usually by this time. Also, this is a stage where dentists are able to find and diagnose any issues or potential problems. Up to this age your child's pediatrician will usually check his/her teeth at visits to check for any noticeable issues, but this is not as thorough as a dentist can do and the pediatrician may not see a potential or existing problem that a dentist would. 


You want to start your child's dentists visits and cleanings at an early age so they can grow comfortable with seeing the dentist. There are many children who become scared of the dentist and so if your toddler starts at an early age he/she will be comfortable with going to the dentist and will be more at ease with their dental visits. Most dentists recommend parents to start taking your toddler to the dentist regularly (every 6 months) at the age of 2 years. 

Why such an early age? 

You may be thinking, why would a child need to see a dentist at such an early age? This is surprising to many new parents and thought of as really early, the toddler has barely gotten his/her teeth. But, did you know that in the US more than 1 in 4 children has a cavity by age 4! National studies show that cavities in preschool age children is increasing and that many children are getting cavities as early as 2yrs old. 

My Kaylee 4 years old

Also, please don't let your toddler brush his/her teeth every time by themselves, they don't do it thoroughly. It is so cute when my daughter Kaylee brushes her teeth, but she usually misses A LOT! So, I have her brush them and then mom goes over them just to check and make sure she got them all. This gives her a sense of independence and the satisfaction that she brushed her teeth like a big girl and me the satisfaction that her teeth are brushed and clean right. I don't know about you, but my Kaylee is 4 and she wants to do EVERYTHING by herself, so this little routine really helps! :) 

So, make sure you have your toddler brushing his/her teeth at least twice daily and flossing the same. Also, remember to check their teeth regularly yourself and set up your child's first dentist appointment at 1yr and start your regular visits and cleanings at 2. Keeping our children happy and healthy starts with good oral hygiene which is just as important as eating healthy! 

When was your child's first dentist visit? Comment and let us know!