There’s absolutely nothing wrong with being a concerned parent. There are many dangers present in the world today, and so it is a good idea to be careful when you are taking care of the health of your child. “When it comes to dental care of your child, in particular, an early start and regular follow up is the way to go,” says a local Belltown dentist.

First Visit

To begin with, you should take your child to the dentist by the time he or she celebrates his or her first birthday. These first visits are crucial for the child because they get him or her accustomed to the dentist’s chair. As a parent, starting this early also gives you the opportunity to get educated on the best care for your child’s teeth.

In case your child is still on the bottle and hasn’t started to wake up in the middle of the night to drink or snack, you can wait until he or she turns two years of age before you take him or her to the dentist for the initial visit. Once you’re done with the first visit, the standard frequency is to take them for a checkup every six months.

Between 4 and 6 Years

A major milestone is that period between the ages of four and six. At this point, your dentist should take some X-rays to find out if there are any insidious cavities lying between the teeth.

After 6 years

From the age of six, your main focus should be on prevention. This is that age when the baby teeth start to shed and get replaced by permanent teeth. Your child’s dentist is highly likely to suggest a sealant at this point. This is a plastic resin that will bond the chewing surfaces of your child’s teeth and reduces the chances of cavities forming in these spaces. The resin blocks bacteria from getting in those spaces between the teeth and also the grooves and valleys in the teeth themselves. This will be necessary between the ages of seven and nine. The most likely site for such treatment will be the molars, which are especially prone to cavities.

Another thing that is likely to happen around this time, when the child is seven years old, is that his or her dentist is going to suggest an evaluation of the teeth, known as an orthodontic evaluation.

As for braces, the majority of kids won’t be wearing these until they get into their early teens, but that’s not what an orthodontic evaluation is for. The whole point of orthodontics is to modify the growth of the jaw. At this stage, the dentist will evaluate the skeletal origins of things like crooked teeth and correct them early on. By sorting these issues at an early age, the dentist will be able to ensure that your child has a beautiful smile later in life.

What matters the most for your child is the basics: make sure he or she brushes his or her teeth at least twice a day, flosses everyday and go for regular twice yearly dental checkups. Your children will thank you later in life for that beautiful smile on their faces.