I usually get asked when the best time age to bring a child for the first time to the dentist. The answer is when you see  the first teeth start to poke through the gums, which is by age 6 months.

At that visit, we review the basic oral health routine to be used, especially with baby teeth. As most kids at that age depend on breastfeeding or bottle feeding, both can raise some challenges when it comes to oral health. The main concern is when feeding occurs at night, and as the child sleeps with milk settling around their teeth, this creates a perfect environment for a specific bacteria called Streptococcus mutans, also known as "sugar bugs," to attack the teeth and create cavities. One of the easiest and best ways to counteract this is to use a clean, moist towel to wipe the teeth after feeding, especially at night.

We also review current habits, like thumb sucking or pacifier use, and we talk about when and how to stop those habits before they cause changes to the oral cavity. For older kids, ages 6 and above, we focus on the way they are biting. We count all the permanent teeth via radiographs, or "panoramic x-rays," and plan for the future if there are extra or missing teeth. At that age, we tend to recommend a visit to an orthodontist, or "braces doctor," if necessary. Some cases, like narrow jaws, require an initial orthodontic treatment called Phase 1 to allow the new teeth to settle into the proper bite and position.

The first visit is not just a chair ride; it allows the child to adjust slowly to a new environment and new faces—"masked faces"—so that in the future, it becomes easier to deliver dental care without tears.