When Should Your Child First Visit The Dentist?

Most Children don’t see their family dentist until they are well over 2 years old, far later than is recommended by both dental and medical professionals. That’s one of the key findings from a 2009 survey of American children’s oral health, conducted by Morpace, Inc., on behalf of Delta Dental Plans Association.* Delta Dental commissioned the survey to gain greater knowledge about the state of children’s oral health. The survey of primary caregivers revealed that, for those children who had seen a dentist – and 34% had not – the average age at the initial visit was 2.6 years.

The American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry (AAPD) recommends that a child go to the dentist by age 1 or within six months after the first tooth erupts. Primary teeth typically begin growing in around 6 months of age.

Importance of primary teeth

Among children who have never visited the dentist or who have not seen a dentist in the last 12 months, the most frequently mentioned reason (62%) was that “the child is too young” or “doesn’t have enough teeth yet.” Lack of insurance coverage was cited by 12% of the caregivers. According to the AAPD, it is very important to keep primary (or “baby”) teeth in place until they are lost naturally. The primary teeth are important for many reasons including:

• Helping children chew properly to maintain good nutrition.

• Involvement in speech development.