This is a challenging question and one that has been at the center of a lot of debates within the dental health community. Do you remember how old you were when you first went to the dentist? Probably not. One of the most respected dental insurance companies in the United States had some research done in the last few years and the surveys showed that the average age of the first visit to the dentist for a child was 2.6 years old. That sounds about right, doesn’t it? That is probably the reason most of us don’t remember our first trip to the dentist, most of the baby teeth have come in by that point, and, really, why would a very young child need to go to the dentist?

Interestingly enough, the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry recommends that a child’s first trip to the dentist should occur between 6 months and 1 year of age. You may be thinking right now, “What? Why?” We understand how this might seem a bit outlandish, but one of the primary reasons for bringing a child into the dentist that early isn’t because we want to, or even need to, clean the one or two teeth your child may have, but to see how well they are coming in and to familiarize your child with going to the dentist. We all want them to see that it’s not a terrifying experience! But, we also want to be on the look-out for malformations of the jaw and dental space which may affect your child’s chewing and speaking in the future. The earlier we catch problems, the more likely we can help fix them with minimal pain and effort. It’s good for everyone!

If that first tooth has come in, go ahead and schedule an appointment with one of our awesome dentists at Capitol Dental in Washington DC. We want to help you provide for a long and happy life of eating and speaking for your child.