The Canadian Dental Association encourages the assessment of children by a dentist within 6 months of the eruption of the first tooth or by one year of age. The goal is to educate the parents regarding disease prevention (especially cavity prevention) during the first years of life. In most cases, a check-up every six months will allow your child’s dentist to detect problems early.

Here are 3 main reasons to take your child for a dental check-up:

• You can find out if the cleaning you do at home is adequate.
• Your dentist can detect problems when they are minor and treat them quickly.
• Your child can learn that going to the dentist helps prevent problems and will establish a relationship with the dentist and his team. This will eliminate any fear that the child might have.

As your child grows, your dentist will want to take x-rays. X-rays are important to diagnose decay between the teeth and determine if teeth are erupting normally. Your child’s dentist may also talk to you about fluoride. Fluoride and sealants are also proven treatments that can have positive effects on children’s oral health. Sealants are preventive material placed on adult teeth to prevent decay and are often recommended after the eruption of the first set of adult molars.