Dental Care for a Toddler?

Isn't it confusing? Seriously, I started taking my son (now 6) to the dentist when he turned 1... by 16 months he had four pulpotomies (and I only took him in for a routine cleaning, not because I thought there was a problem). He has since had one additional filling... and one of the original four developed an abscess this year which he had pulled at the pediatric dentist a month ago.

I had a family dentist in TN that would see my children once they turned 2, another in NC... when we moved to PA... a general dentist will not see a child before 5, so I take both of my children to a pediatric dentist... although I have to pay more out of pocket since insurance doesn't cover at the same rate...

Best wishes!

Hi there! I don't think it's ever too early to take a child to a dentist, especially if you have concerns. And it's also wise to add him to your dental insurance if you have one. I took our son to the dentist when he was about 20 months old, because I got concerns as he had some yellow plaque on his front teeth, it turned out to be a rather big problem and he's undergoing a serious treatment now. I wonder if I could have avoided it by taking him to the dentist earlier. We also didn't add him to our dental insurance as we didn't think such a young child would need an extensive teeth treatment. Now we had to pay big bucks for his treatment out of our pocket.

As for the dentist, you should look for a pediatric one. One of the best ped. dentists in our area is Doctor Scott Leaf, he has two offices, one in Burke and one in Springfield. Go to http://leafkids.com/ for more info. I personally liked another doctor from his practice, Dr. Hoschi (not sure if I spelled it right).

Oh, and here's a quote from their web-site as for the right timing to see a dentist:
"When should I take my child to the dentist for the first check-up?"
"In order to prevent dental problems, your child should see a pediatric dentist when the first tooth appears, or no later than his/her first birthday".

I was told by my dentist not to take my daughter until she is 3 yrs old. But I would call your sons dr and ask to see what they say or even call your dentist (if you don't have one call any dentist) and ask them.

According to what I have read in all the parenting magazines you are supposed to take your child to the dentist at 1 year for a check to make sure everything is coming in normally. I'm bad and my two year old hasn't been yet, although it's on my to-do list. If you are worried about the gum it sounds like a perfect time to take him in.

I hope he feels better soon!

S.

YES. Children can began seeing the kids dentist at 6 months of age. Univ. of MD has a dental school locted on Baltimore Street across from the hospital that specialize in kids. They start at 6 months checking to make sure the gums are healthy and that the teeth are coming in on time. My kids are 7 and 8 and have been going there since they where 6 months.

If his gums are infected please take him right away so that they can give him somthing for it.

Hope this helps,

P..

I believe a child's first visit is at 3 years old. I would suggest taking him to his pediatrician first. Hope this helps.

hi,

A bit about me, I am the mother of 3 very active kids, 2 boys and a girl. All 3 saw a dentist when their first tooth came in. If you are worried about the color of her gums where the new tooth is trying to emerge then find a pediatric dentist. Also you could try some gentle gum massage with a teether, not frozen, but very cold. Good luck with baby.

The dentist told me that I can wait until my son turns 3 or 4 for his first visit because he wasn't happy when I first took him at age 2. I would check with your pediatrician about your child's gums and see what they recommend.

I use to work for a general dentist, I certainly would call a good children's dentist (they are generally more patient and trained to deal with young children)and ask them if they foresee this as a problem. If they do not think it is something they need to attend to they will let you know, they will then however suggest you bring him in for his first dental appointment. Children's dentist generally recommend that they have their first appointment by the age of 1.

You should take your toddler to a PEDIATRIC dentist. I work for a dental surgeon and am a consultant for many dental offices throughout Northern Virginia and Southern Maryland. The PEDIATRIC dentists usually recommend a visit between ages 6 months and 1 year. Several offices will offer free "first tooth checks" which will give you the instructions you need to take good care of the gums and new teeth. This is also great for the child to have a non-invasive first visit and build a level of comfort in the dental chair. Good luck, feel free to message if you want some good references for pediatric dentists. Also check out www.aapd.org

If you were to take them to a regular dentist that does not specialize in pediatric dentistry, they may tell you to bring them in for their first visit by 3 1/2 to 4 years old. However, if you contact a pediatric dentist, they will probably tell you to bring him in by 2 to 2 1/2 years old. I'm sure if you called a pediatric dentist in your area and told them what was going on with your son's tooth, I would think that they would like to see him now to make sure that there will be no permanent damage to his gum, permanent teeth, etc. Good luck!

S.

Absolutely! Blueish purple is not normal. Find your nearest pediatric dental professional ASAP. All the best!

I believe that you don't have to take them until they're 3 unless there's an issue. If I were you I'd call the pediatrician and see what he/she has to say. Is the tooth causing him pain?

Personally, I would take him to his Pediatrician first, then get a second opinion from a dentist. God bless you all and take care.

i took one of mine at 10 months because her two front teeth had gotten dark due to too much iron. they just cleaned them. the pediatric dentist told me kids should start seeing dentists at 18 months. Though pediatricians recommend by the age of 3. i am taking mine for their first 'official' dentist visit next month (38 months)
if i were you i'd take him just to make sure everything's ok
vlora