Children's oral health is essential. To take care of your baby's teeth and to avoid a phobia of the dentist, it is essential to reassure him so that his first consultation goes well.
Find out in this article when to make that first appointment and how the visit goes.
When is the first dental appointment for baby?
According to the recommendations of the child health record, a child must be a certain age for his or her first visit to the dentist 3 years old. However, according to many specialists and the Union Française pour la Santé Bucco-Dentaire, it is advisable to plan a first visit to the dentist between 1 and 2 years.
At this age, the first baby teeth begin to grow. It is important to establish good oral hygiene habits from a young age. In addition, before the age of 2, the child has not yet entered a phase of opposition, the consultation takes place more serenely.
It is not necessary to wait until a child has a dental problem to make a first appointment. An early visit can help prevent future dental problems.
Preparing your baby for his first visit to the dentist
Fear of the unknown is one of the main reasons for a child's anxiety before his or her first visit to the dentist. To prepare your child for the appointment, it's important to explain what to expect. Avoid frightening details and negative phrases. Simply explain that a person in a white coat, a doctor, is going to look at his or her teeth to see if everything is okay. If you're afraid of dental appointments, it's important that you don't pass this anxiety on to your child.
There are also books and cartoons on the subject. This allows the child to better understand how a visit to the dentist takes place and what will happen. These tools allow him to anticipate the appointment, not to be surprised and therefore not to be anxious during his first consultation.
It is recommended that you visit a pedodontist for your child's first appointment. This is a specialized dentist who will reassure your child.
What is your baby's first visit to the dentist like?
We perform a first visit to the dentist is essential for the childThis consultation is usually done in two stages. This consultation generally takes place in two stages.
First, the dentist discusses with the parents. This allows for a fluoride assessment of the child, based on his or her oral hygiene and eating habits. The dentist also provides them with advice on how to keep their child's teeth healthy.
Depending on the age of the child, the dentist can teach the child how to brush his or her teeth properly. He explains how a tooth grows and how a cavity develops. He or she may advise the child to stop using pacifiers, depending on his or her age. The dentist also presents his or her tools for caring for teeth to give the child confidence.
In a second step, the dentist proceeds to an examination of the teeth which allows him :
- Establish an assessment of the caries risk and therefore prescribe fluoride supplementation if necessary,
- To detect cavities,
- To detect early a bottle syndrome. If this syndrome is diagnosed around 3-4 years of age, it is often too late to treat it, hence the interest of a visit to the dentist around 1 year of age.
At the first visit, if the dental examination reveals good oral hygiene and no abnormalities, the next consultation will take place one year later. If there is a dental lesion, a new appointment must be made quickly to provide the necessary care.
A first visit to the pedodontist is usually quite short. The purpose of this consultation is mainly to give the child confidence for future care and to avoid fear of the dentist.
Dental fees for children
The fees for dental consultations are agreed upon by the Health Insurance. Thus the price of a first consultation at the dentist corresponds to a simple examination of oral prevention. The fee for this visit is 30 €. The reimbursement of dental care for children is covered at 70 %.
Finally, the Health Insurance has set up an oral prevention program, often known as free dental visit for children 6 years old : M'T dents. Children aged 6, 9, 12, 15 and 18 benefit from a preventive visit and care, if necessary. The whole package is covered at 100 % by the Social Security.
An initial visit to the dentist is essential for good oral health in children. A regular follow-up allows us to treat dental anomalies as soon as they appear and to avoid heavier orthodontic treatments during adolescence.
