When do kids first go to the dentist?

ohashlet · October 2011

When they have teeth? Like one tooth? A mouthful? Trying to figure out if it's worth it to add him to the dental insurance.

joanithegreat · October 2011

Some people say as soon as they start getting teeth, others say around 2 years old.

+diana82+ · October 2011

2 or 3 I think is generally the recommendation. I need to make an appt for Gavin actually.

heather_09_15_07 · October 2011

My dentist told me three years old but he also said pedis recommend one year.

#1 is almost two and I can't imagine her letting them get anywhere near her mouth right now. They said as long as she brushes her teeth daily she is good until three.

ChefSarah22 · October 2011

We will add Charlotte to the dental insurance this coming year. Up until now there was no way she would sit in the chair. We've been taking her with us to our appointments to get her used to the idea and we are diligent in her brushing at home.

Mysterious_wife · October 2011

I wished we had added Allie at birth. She was born with a split in her gum. We spent a ton of OOP expenses until open enrollment the following year. Also seeing the stories of the kiddos on here with missing teeth at a young age makes me think you should add him ASAP. Then again I am a paranoid freak like that.

For Allie's first cleaning she was 2. Her first x-ray was at 9 months (due to the gum issue)

TerraCotta210 · October 2011

I was always told by my dentist to start bringing DS in once he turned 3. I added him to my insurance during open enrollment when he was about 2 1/2 and made his first actual appointment right around his 3rd birthday.

I would definitely recommend bringing your children at an early age - DS was still very young and I think that's why he's never been afraid of the dentist, he's just used to it at this point and actually looks forward to going (probably for the toothbrush and other goodies he gets, lol). My nephew on the other hand was first brought to the dentist at age 7 and actually screams and cries STILL when he has to go for an appointment. Obviously not all kids will react like my nephew, but in either event, bringing them young will probably (hopefully) alleviate some of their fears.

Beabs · October 2011

I know this isn't really what you're asking, but I'm not adding Z to my dental insurance this year.

Maybe next year.

Emie28 · October 2011

My insurance rep said to go ahead and add Linc b/c she didn't know when there would be another open and enrollment in order to add him later on. Plus, you never know if you will need it for any other reason. Of course, ours is only 1 cent a person, so it wasn't a tough call for us.

weelass24 · October 2011

I added both right away because not doing so would have guaranteed we'd need one.

iteachk · October 2011

We took K right around 2.5 and she did great.

ohashlet · October 2011

weelass24:
I added both right away because not doing so would have guaranteed we'd need one.

This is what I'm thinking.

staycee · October 2011

I've heard "as soon as they have teeth". But in talking with the Children's dentist (lord knows we've been there a lot the past 2 months), they say realistically an "older 3" or 4 is a good time. One made a comment about how impossible it is to get a 2 year old to sit through an exam.

ohashlet · October 2011

staycee:
I've heard "as soon as they have teeth". But in talking with the Children's dentist (lord knows we've been there a lot the past 2 months), they say realistically an "older 3" or 4 is a good time. One made a comment about how impossible it is to get a 2 year old to sit through an exam.

Stacee what I'm actually thinking of is if something happens to Arlo like what happened to Bug, something like that could easily make a huge ding in our savings. I figure the $15 a month is worth it?

Ivana_Stolichnaya · October 2011

My pediatrician recommends around 3 years old.

TheOriginalSP · October 2011

We took Em for the first time a few months ago. She was about 2 1/2. There is really no need before then.

At Em's first visit they cleaned her teeth and did a quick x-ray becuase she has an extra tooth and I was concerned about there being an adult tooth behind her baby extra tooth that would mess up her tooth growth. But thankfully there is none.

I wouldn't add him anytime soon. Wait until he's older, unless it's free in which case add away.

staycee · October 2011

ohashlet:

staycee:
I've heard "as soon as they have teeth". But in talking with the Children's dentist (lord knows we've been there a lot the past 2 months), they say realistically an "older 3" or 4 is a good time. One made a comment about how impossible it is to get a 2 year old to sit through an exam.

Stacee what I'm actually thinking of is if something happens to Arlo like what happened to Bug, something like that could easily make a huge ding in our savings. I figure the $15 a month is worth it?

Bug's total was $1300 OOP (well, OOP for kindercare, but still)

+diana82+ · October 2011

GhostMonkey:
+diana82+:
2 or 3 I think is generally the recommendation. I need to make an appt for Gavin actually.
They have changed that. It's by age 1 now. They don't put them in the chair, they sit on your lap and they check around. This is in part to get them comfortable with the process and part to identify if there are issues early on that can be easily corrected.

Hm. My pedi didn't bring it up until he turned 2. I'm delinquent either way - I have no idea who I'm even going to take him to yet.

jensneb · October 2011

I'm taking Olivia for the first time in December, she'll be 2.

pmarie33 · October 2011

We took O when she got her first tooth and then six months later for her next check up.

+diana82+ · October 2011

GhostMonkey:
+diana82+:
GhostMonkey:
+diana82+:
2 or 3 I think is generally the recommendation. I need to make an appt for Gavin actually.
They have changed that. It's by age 1 now. They don't put them in the chair, they sit on your lap and they check around. This is in part to get them comfortable with the process and part to identify if there are issues early on that can be easily corrected.
Hm. My pedi didn't bring it up until he turned 2. I'm delinquent either way - I have no idea who I'm even going to take him to yet.
Pedis aren't dentists.

Never said they were.

pinksweetpea2 · October 2011

My dentist said to wait until she was around 3. Lily's 2 year molars just came in this summer and she finally has a full set of baby teeth, so we are planning on taking her in this fall.

Many insurance companies will not cover a visit until they are 3 years.

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When do kids first go to the dentist?

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