At what age should a child first visit the dentist?

Children should visit the dentist for their first examination at approximately one year of age or when their first teeth have come through.

Visiting the dentist at an early age ensures that children and parents learn about all aspects of oral health and prepare you for what is going to happen as your children grow and their teeth and jaws develop.

What to expect at your child’s first visit?

The dental clinic should not be a scary place for children. If they develop early habits of visiting the dentist, they are less likely to have fears and phobias later in life.

The first visit for a child is all about showing them what happens as a routine examination,

• A ride in the chair
• Counting their teeth
• Showing how to brush and floss
• Ending with a prophy (a gentle clean)

All this builds trust and familiarity between the patient and the dentist. If your child has attended regularly, if there was to be an accident ( we all know how adventurous kids can be!) then they are coming into a familiar environment to treat the trauma, this then alleviates extra stress on both the parents and the child.

Flossing is hard – How do I get my kids to floss?

Flossing for many adults takes practice and many find it difficult…… So how do we expect kids to floss. If we teach kids to floss from a young age its builds habits that last a lifetime and decrease decay rates in children, teens and adults. There are special aids to help with flossing such as reach flossers which makes flossing easy and simple.

Do I have to pay full price for a child’s first dental visit?

There are many options such as the children’s dental benefit scheme. Eligible children can get up $1000 over 2 years which covers the cost of the first dental visit and any treatment needed.

 At Grandis Dental the first dental visit and any preventative treatment is gap free if you have a health insurance.

Call today on (08) 6404 2899 and we can discuss all your options.