At what age should a child start going to dentist

I have been reading some conflicting information as to what is the
appropriate age that a child should start seeing a dentist. Some say as soon
as the first tooth appears while some say around age 2-3.

DS will be 2 in a couple of weeks and I think a proper cleaning from the
dentist would be good (he is at that age where he wants to brush his teeth
but isn't very good at it and at the age where he definitely does not want
me or DH doing it). But also I don't see how a dentist could properly clean
his teeth without them holding him down and him getting upset, hitting,
screaming and the normal 2 year old tantrum stuff. And I also don't want him
to be terrified of going to the dentist like DH.

I also remember as a child my dentist giving me laughing gas (don't know the
proper name) to calm me down. What age would a dentist start doing this?

Thanks for any advice.

--
Cherie
mom to Jakob (23 months)
baby girl "Grace" EDD 8/6/2004

My dentist said that at the age of three was the best time to bring ds in to
him.. hth

Caroline
"Cherie" cedgeworthATcopper.net wrote in message
...
I have been reading some conflicting information as to what is the
appropriate age that a child should start seeing a dentist. Some say as
soon
as the first tooth appears while some say around age 2-3.

DS will be 2 in a couple of weeks and I think a proper cleaning from the
dentist would be good (he is at that age where he wants to brush his teeth
but isn't very good at it and at the age where he definitely does not want
me or DH doing it). But also I don't see how a dentist could properly
clean
his teeth without them holding him down and him getting upset, hitting,
screaming and the normal 2 year old tantrum stuff. And I also don't want
him
to be terrified of going to the dentist like DH.

I also remember as a child my dentist giving me laughing gas (don't know
the
proper name) to calm me down. What age would a dentist start doing this?

Thanks for any advice.

--
Cherie
mom to Jakob (23 months)
baby girl "Grace" EDD 8/6/2004

oops forgot to say that he didn't *clean* so much as to inspect them. If
they were really bad he might have cleaned but most of t the time it is
mostly just to catch problems early.

Caroline
"Cherie" cedgeworthATcopper.net wrote in message
...
I have been reading some conflicting information as to what is the
appropriate age that a child should start seeing a dentist. Some say as
soon
as the first tooth appears while some say around age 2-3.

DS will be 2 in a couple of weeks and I think a proper cleaning from the
dentist would be good (he is at that age where he wants to brush his teeth
but isn't very good at it and at the age where he definitely does not want
me or DH doing it). But also I don't see how a dentist could properly
clean
his teeth without them holding him down and him getting upset, hitting,
screaming and the normal 2 year old tantrum stuff. And I also don't want
him
to be terrified of going to the dentist like DH.

I also remember as a child my dentist giving me laughing gas (don't know
the
proper name) to calm me down. What age would a dentist start doing this?

Thanks for any advice.

--
Cherie
mom to Jakob (23 months)
baby girl "Grace" EDD 8/6/2004

"Cherie" cedgeworthATcopper.net wrote in message
...
I have been reading some conflicting information as to what is the
appropriate age that a child should start seeing a dentist. Some say as
soon
as the first tooth appears while some say around age 2-3.

DS will be 2 in a couple of weeks and I think a proper cleaning from the
dentist would be good (he is at that age where he wants to brush his teeth
but isn't very good at it and at the age where he definitely does not want
me or DH doing it). But also I don't see how a dentist could properly
clean
his teeth without them holding him down and him getting upset, hitting,
screaming and the normal 2 year old tantrum stuff. And I also don't want
him
to be terrified of going to the dentist like DH.

I also remember as a child my dentist giving me laughing gas (don't know
the
proper name) to calm me down. What age would a dentist start doing this?

Thanks for any advice.


My daughter is 4 and has been 5 times. First one was when she was 1 years
old. I take her when I go, which is about every 7-8 months. We dont pay for
her and I dont pay extra for a longer consultation. My son has been also.

My dentist gets her to put on gloves (the kind he uses), and then gets her
to help him count her teeth. Whilst they count (usually she listens) the
dentist has a quick look over everything to see if its ok. After they have
finished counting he raises the chair up and then back down and then he
gives her some stickers and a balloon to blow up. My son likes the chair
going up and down and thinks the light is great. (so he messes with light
switch whilst dentist sneaks a look inside his mouth)

My daughter isn't afraid of dentists and actually likes going to them. It
also makes sure that you can catch anything out quciker so they may need
less work as a adult. As my daughter has also seen the dentist working on my
teeth she knows that is only hurts for a little while and it is nothing to
be scared of.

My dentist said so many children need fillings but parents never cleaned
there childs teeth or they never bought there child in for a look as
chlidren were to afraid. My dentist can remember one child whom at the age
of nine complained about a sore tooth. That was the first time the parents
had taken the child to the dentist and they only took her to shut the child
up from complaining. Needless to say the dentist said she needed 7 fillings
and the parents were most annoyed about it. I think that is sad really.

The most common age he said for seeing children is around 4 years, but he
thinks that is waiting to long considering plarque only needs 24 hours to
start working on your teeth and ruining them. He thinks 1 year old is a
good starting age.

B

--
Cherie
mom to Jakob (23 months)
baby girl "Grace" EDD 8/6/2004

Cherie wrote:
I have been reading some conflicting information as to what is the
appropriate age that a child should start seeing a dentist. Some
say as soon as the first tooth appears while some say around age
2-3.

The current recommendation from the AAP is for the first visit to be at age
1 if there are any teeth or after the first tooth appears if it comes in
after 1 year of age. The reason they want to see them younger now is that
they're finding/preventing a lot more early decay by doing so. When my older
kids were younger, the recommendation was for the first visit at the age of
three, but by the time my youngest was born in 2002, the recommendation had
changed to one year old. My almost 2.5yo will be having his third dental
visit next month, and thus far, he's had no cavities, unlike his older sibs
(knock wood).
--
Be well, Barbara
Mom to Sin (Vernon, 2), Misery (Aurora, 5), and the Rising Son (Julian, 6)

This week's suggested Bush/Cheney campaign bumper sticker:
"Leave no billionaire behind."

All opinions expressed in this post are well-reasoned and insightful.
Needless to say, they are not those of my Internet Service Provider, its
other subscribers or lackeys. Anyone who says otherwise is itchin' for a
fight. -- with apologies to Michael Feldman

One of the pediatric dental practices in our area offers free orientations
once a month for kids 18 months and up. I think I took my twins for the
first time when they were around 2.

They just basically let the kids look around, sit in the chair, then they
"count" the teeth and then give them coloring books and stickers. This
makes for a pain-free introduction to dental visits before they actually
start having their teeth cleaned. I wish I'd known about the orientations
when my older son was 3 or so the first time I took him. He totally freaked
out and continued to do so for several visits after that.

Leigh


"Cherie" cedgeworthATcopper.net wrote in message
...
I have been reading some conflicting information as to what is the
appropriate age that a child should start seeing a dentist. Some say as
soon
as the first tooth appears while some say around age 2-3.

DS will be 2 in a couple of weeks and I think a proper cleaning from the
dentist would be good (he is at that age where he wants to brush his teeth
but isn't very good at it and at the age where he definitely does not want
me or DH doing it). But also I don't see how a dentist could properly
clean
his teeth without them holding him down and him getting upset, hitting,
screaming and the normal 2 year old tantrum stuff. And I also don't want
him
to be terrified of going to the dentist like DH.

I also remember as a child my dentist giving me laughing gas (don't know
the
proper name) to calm me down. What age would a dentist start doing this?

Thanks for any advice.

--
Cherie
mom to Jakob (23 months)
baby girl "Grace" EDD 8/6/2004

The current recommendation from the AAP is for the first visit to be at
age
1 if there are any teeth or after the first tooth appears if it comes in
after 1 year of age. The reason they want to see them younger now is that
they're finding/preventing a lot more early decay by doing so. When my
older
kids were younger, the recommendation was for the first visit at the age
of
three, but by the time my youngest was born in 2002, the recommendation
had
changed to one year old. My almost 2.5yo will be having his third dental
visit next month, and thus far, he's had no cavities, unlike his older
sibs
(knock wood).
--
Be well, Barbara
Mom to Sin (Vernon, 2), Misery (Aurora, 5), and the Rising Son (Julian, 6)

My dentist (who sees kids) says between 2 and 4 yrs old, and you know your
child best to know when to come in. Out of all my kids C is the only who
has been so far (and that was cos she had the new teeth coming in, but the
baby ones weren't coming out - she had no cavities). After school starts
I'll take P. I just don't see L sitting there, letting them do those x-rays
or the fluoride treatment.

Cherie wrote:
I have been reading some conflicting information as to what is the
appropriate age that a child should start seeing a dentist. Some say
as soon as the first tooth appears while some say around age 2-3.

My dentists (family not pediatric) have said between 3 and 4. The current
one leans towards 4. I started Hunter at 3.5 and I plan to do the same with
Luke. I will take him to my appt. and to Hunters, and then he'll get his
own.

Hunter may have been fine younger then 3.5. It would have been a disaster
with Luke any earlier then 3.5 and we'll be doing good to be productive then
;-)

--
Nikki

"Cherie" cedgeworthATcopper.net wrote in message ...
I have been reading some conflicting information as to what is the
appropriate age that a child should start seeing a dentist. Some say as soon
as the first tooth appears while some say around age 2-3.

Our dentist recommended a visit around age 3, unless there were
problems or concerns. The first few visits were just sitting in the
chair, looking at the instruments, maybe a quick visual check for
problems. The first real cleaning and flouride treatments were closer
to 4.5 years old. We go every six months and each kid has at 1 small
"spot" that needed some treatment, but no novocaine or drills yet.
Thank goodness for sealants!

Chris

Cherie wrote:

DS will be 2 in a couple of weeks and I think a proper cleaning from the
dentist would be good (he is at that age where he wants to brush his teeth
but isn't very good at it and at the age where he definitely does not want
me or DH doing it). But also I don't see how a dentist could properly clean
his teeth without them holding him down and him getting upset, hitting,
screaming and the normal 2 year old tantrum stuff. And I also don't want him
to be terrified of going to the dentist like DH.

My first went at 2 years old, my second at 18 months.
For some reason, both of my kids seem to develop a lot of plaque.
They needed cleanings at those ages--serious cleanings.
In fact, they had to use the ultrasonic plaque remover on #2.
Neither of them had any trouble at all, and both enjoy going
to the dentist. Neither screeched or had to be held down.
We use a family dentist (not a pediatric dentist), though I
know several people who have pediatric dentists and swear
by them.
I attribute success to a number of factors:

1) Great dentist who was kind and gentle and knew when to stop.
2) Assumption on our part (and conveyed to the kids) that this
is no big deal, will be a fun adventure, etc.
3) Inquisitive kids who were interested in seeing what went on
at the dentist.

Definitely look for a really good dentist, and starting
by looking for a pediatric dentist might be a good thing.

I also remember as a child my dentist giving me laughing gas (don't know the
proper name) to calm me down. What age would a dentist start doing this?

I would be surprised if any did this anymore.

Best wishes,
Ericka