5 Questions to Ask at Your Child's First Visit

Your child’s first tooth is an exciting developmental milestone. When that first baby tooth starts to emerge or your child turns a year old, that means it’s time to schedule your child’s first visit to the dentist.

When your child gets their first tooth, pediatric dentists Staci Brunell, DMD, and Priyanka Patel, DMD, expect you’ll have many questions to ask about their development. Keep reading to learn five questions to ask at your child’s first visit to Yorktown Pediatric Dentistry in Yorktown Heights, New York.

What to expect at a first dental visit

Our team takes 30-45 minutes to assess your baby’s mouth and get to know more about your child and their development. We leave plenty of time for you to ask any questions.

Our dentists look at your child’s mouth, tongue, gums, and jaw to see if they’re healthy and developing as expected. You can also expect us to advise you on what you can expect at your child develops further, and what brushing and eating habits help them develop strong and healthy teeth.

What to ask at a first dental visit

If you’re uncertain what to ask our team at your child’s first visit, these five questions will help you get started.

1. How do I take care of my child’s teeth?

As your child gets their first teeth, learning how to brush their teeth, wipe their gums, and eventually floss, is an important skill. As your child gets older, you, with the help of our team, will pass these skills onto your child.

Our team can show you how to take care of your child’s teeth, and when to start each type of care. In addition, we advise on using fluoride use and other ways to prevent tooth decay.

2. Is my child’s pacifier use/thumbsucking normal?

Using a pacifier or sucking their thumb can help your infant or toddler stay calm and relaxed. Our child can assess your child’s specific habits and advise on whether they’re safe and healthy for their oral health.

If your child doesn’t stop these habits on their own when they’re older, our team can help your child break the habits with supportive techniques.

3. What should my child be eating and drinking?

Our team helps advise you on food and drink that reduces your child’s risk of tooth decay and gum disease. We help come up with suggestions based on your child’s favorite foods and personal palette.

4. What can I expect from my child’s oral development?

It’s natural to be curious about what happens to your child’s teeth as they grow older. Our team gives advice on when you can expect further baby and permanent teeth and what to do if your child isn’t meeting expected developmental milestones.

Our team also helps guide you and your child through the pain of teething as their baby teeth emerge.

5. How can I help my child prepare for dental visits?

Young children are often a bit fussy at their first dental visits, but there are ways to make the process easier for them and you. Based on our knowledge of child development and your baby’s individualized needs, we help you prepare your child for future well baby visits and dental cleanings.

If there are any questions you can’t think of during your child’s first visit, our team is here to continue to guide them in their dental journey between and at follow-up appointments.

If your child is getting their first tooth or is one year old, it’s time to schedule their first dental visit. Contact us to make an appointment.