Your child is less than 3 years old, his first teeth are here, so it's time to take him to the dentist for the very first time. You should know that for the little ones there are baby dentistsThese are the pedodontists.
On the next page, we explain why you should find a gentle, skilled practitioner for your child. Discover the benefits of seeing a dentist specialized for children.
Choosing a specialist dentist for your baby
Going to the dentist is not always easy for adults. So imagine how a child feels when he or she sees a dental office! Children are often afraid when they walk through the dentist's door, frightened by the many pieces of equipment, which fortunately have changed a lot over the years.
To help a child fight this fear, it is best to turn to a baby dentist at an early age. This oral health professional is specialized in working with children. The pedodontist is therefore the best person to welcome and reassure toddlers.
Indeed, a baby dentist has the necessary skills to administer care. He owes his expertise to a long training during which he learned the mechanics of child psychology. In addition, a pedodontist knows how to talk to the child, that is, with patience and delicacy. If a young patient has autistic disorder, the child's dentist is the one to which it is recommended to turn.
Visiting the dentist for your child: from what age?
The first visit of the child to the dentist is scheduled from the age of 3 if we refer to his health record. However, the French Union for Oral Health believes that the first visit should take place at the age of 2.
From the age of 3 onwards, an annual follow-up is in any case required. By taking your child to the pedodontist once a year, even if you don't notice anything abnormal, you can avoid any complications later on (cavities, hygiene problems, injuries, etc.).
You should know that prices of a dentist for children and babies are not excessive and that Medicare reimburses part of it.
What are the main causes of a visit to the pedodontist?
In the majority of cases, the child's first visits to the dentist are preventive, with the objective of detecting early caries, preventing periodontal disease and poor oral hygiene habits.
However, sometimes the child's visits to the dentist are curative. In this case, the pedodontist performs specific procedures to treat cavities, correct dental malocclusions, etc.
The following is a non-exhaustive list of pediatric procedures that can be performed by a child dentist:
- Application of fluoride-based medications,
- Sealing of the molar grooves,
- Injection of bio-active dental substitutes,
- Installation of a space maintainer,
- Individual prophylaxis session.
There is a major reason to take your child to a specialized dentist: the dentist is in the best position to teach your child how to preserve his or her baby teeth. With the dentist's help, your child will be able to protect his or her teeth as an adult.
