Your Child's First Dental Visit

When to come

By the first birthday, or within six months of the first tooth appearing, whichever comes first. That surprises most parents, and the reason is not that a one-year-old needs treatment.

It is that decay in very young children moves quickly, that the habits which cause it are established in the first two years, and that a child who has been in a dental chair four or five times before they can remember does not develop a fear of it. The visit at one is almost entirely for the parent. The benefit to the child comes later.

If your child is older than that and has never been seen, come now rather than waiting for a milestone. There is no age at which it becomes too late to start well.

What actually happens

Far less than parents expect, and that is deliberate.

For a toddler, the examination is often done knee-to-knee: you sit facing the dentist, the child sits on your lap facing you, and we lower them back so their head rests on the dentist's knees. They can see you the whole time. It takes about a minute and most children tolerate it well.

We look at the teeth that have come through, check how the jaws are developing, look at the gums and the soft tissue, and check for early signs of decay. Then we talk to you: brushing, bottles, dummies, thumbs, diet, fluoride, what to expect over the next year.

For an older child, they sit in the chair themselves, we count the teeth, and often we polish them, which most children enjoy. Fluoride varnish takes seconds and is painted on.

No injections. No drilling. Usually no X-rays at a first visit unless there is a specific reason.

What we are looking for

Early decay, which shows as white or brown marks along the gum line long before a hole appears. Caught at that stage it can often be arrested rather than filled.

How the bite is developing, whether the jaws are growing symmetrically, and whether there is space for the permanent teeth. Habits leaving a visible signature: thumb sucking, a dummy used past the age it should have been, mouth breathing.

Enamel defects, which are not rare and change how a tooth should be managed. And anything unusual in the soft tissue, including tongue tie where feeding has been difficult.

How to prepare your child, and how not to

Keep it low-key. A brief, matter-of-fact mention the day before is better than a week of build-up, which teaches a child that this is something to be anxious about.

Avoid the words that plant the idea. Nothing about it not hurting, nothing about being brave, nothing about injections or drills. A child who was not worried about pain now is.

Do not use the dentist as a threat. "If you don't brush, the dentist will have to drill" makes our job considerably harder for years.

Book for the time of day when your child is at their best. For a toddler that usually means the morning, not after nursery.

And bring them along to your own appointment beforehand if you can. Watching a parent sit in the chair and be fine is worth more than any amount of explaining.

If it does not go well

Some visits achieve nothing. The child cries, will not open, will not sit. That is a normal outcome for a first visit and not a failure.

What matters is that they leave without having been forced into anything. A child who was allowed to refuse comes back more willing than one who was held down. We would rather see them three times to complete an examination than once and lose their cooperation permanently.

Try not to apologise for your child in front of them. They are behaving as a small child behaves in an unfamiliar situation, and we see it every day.

Then what

Usually every six months. More often where there is a reason: early decay, a high-sugar diet, enamel problems, or a child who needs more visits to stay comfortable in the chair.

Preventive treatment starts as soon as it is useful. Fluoride varnish from around the time the first teeth appear. Sealants on the back teeth once the permanent molars come through, at around six.

Orthodontic assessment is separate and comes later, at around seven, when enough permanent teeth are through to see how the bite is developing.

What to bring

Any medical history and current medicines, including long-term liquid medicines which are often sugar-based. Insurance details if you have cover. Anything that helps your child feel comfortable.

And come with questions. The conversation is genuinely the most valuable part of a first visit, and there is no question about your child's teeth that is too small to ask.