When and Why should I bring my child to the dentist?

When should I bring my child to the dentist is a frequent question asked by parents to their health care providers such as pediatricians, family practice physicians, and dentists. The typical answer is "around 3 or 4 years of age" or "when little Billy or Susie can sit in the dental chair." However, if your Billy or Susie develops cavities at 18 months of age, perhaps these were not the best answers. The appropriate reply is when your infant's teeth start erupting between 6 months to 1 year of age.

The reason for such an early dental visit is simple-PREVENTION. Dental disease is very common in young children, 5 times more common than asthma. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says that 40% of the population of children entering kindergarten has cavities.

Everyone knows that sugar "causes" cavities, but why do some children get cavities and others, who eat similar diets, do not? The partial answer begins by understanding that all of us have a normal, healthy relationship with the flora (bacteria) that is on our bodies and in our mouths. This flora is important to our very existence and in the case of infants; it begins to be established in the mouth when the first tooth starts erupting. The mother is the source for the flora approximately 71% of the time in the dental population and 88% of the time in breastfed infants.

It has been recognized that high levels of cavities fun in families and are passed down from mother to child. Yet, it is not as simple as that since we all know the story of the child in the family that does "everything wrong" and never has a cavity, while your "perfect brush and eater" has lots of cavities. The reason is that not everyone's bacteria are created equal. Some children have fairly harmless flora while others have bacteria that consistently produce higher levels of of acid (when exposed to sugary foods) that dissolve the outer enamel of the tooth.

Another important variable when discussing cavity potential is the fact that the formation of the cavity is determined by many factors. For example, diet, oral hygiene, fluoride exposure, salivary glands, etc. will play a role in cavity activity. Modification of a child's diet, better tooth brushing and flossing, and optimal exposure to fluoride may help prevent cavities by reducing the more active acid producing bacteria.

It can now be seen why early dental visits are important to help prevent cavities because the process starts as soon as teeth erupt. The only way to help a parent prevent cavities in their infant and toddlers is to discuss the mothers past dental history, review the cavity producing process, and offer preventative suggestions.