Our Abbotsford cosmetic dentist says that many children’s dentists and orthodontists think that the optimum time to begin visiting your family dentist is when you rchild’s first teeth erupt,

and they feel that you should not wait later than the child's first birthday. This advice is also endorsed by the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry.  Though it may seem that this is a very young age, there’s an excellent reason: it's importantt to start off right and you want your child to be familiar with both dental hygiene and with all the dental professionals who will assist them as well as your entire family to take care of their oral health.  

During your child’s first appointment, your Abbotsford dentist will give you all the instructions you'll require to ensure your child’s optimum oral health and they will also offer advice about dental hygiene care and diet.

Comprehensive dental examinations can really only be performed when your child is able to cooperate with the dentist. In most cases, you’ll know when your child is at that stage.  But, there’s a difference between being able to cooperate and actually wanting to cooperate.

It will help a great deal if you introduce your little one to the idea of having their teeth worked on long before you set their first dental appointment.

Taking the child to the dentist for their first visit when their teeth first begin erupting will also help you teach them the habit of good dental hygiene. We all know that it can be difficult to get a little one to enjoy brushing and flossing their teeth.

Your Abbotsford children’s dentist will probably suggest beginning your dental hygiene by wiping the teeth with a damp rag after your little one eats or drinks as this wil help them to get used to having their teeth cleaned.

As they become used to this and begin getting teeth, you can then move on to brushing and flossing.  Your dental hygienist will demonstrate the best ways to do this during your first visits.  Starting with a toothbrush and toothpaste early is a crucial step in making sure that your child learns good oral hygiene habits and minimizes cavities.  It’s also crucial to remember that your child should never swallow or eat the toothpaste! Start with a dab of fluoridated toothpaste about the size of a pea.

At Clayburn Dental, we enjoy kids and we know that they like to have fun.  That's why we offer a Kids Familiarization Tour which gives your children an opportunity to visit with the dental professionals and to enjoy a ‘chair ride’, look in the dental mirror and, have fun with the water squirter in an informal and relaxed manner.

Kids also love our dedicated Kid’s play area which is where kids of any age can play, read books, play video games and generally entertain themselves while waiting for their appointment or while waiting for mom or dad to finish their appointment.

Please call us and set up a time to bring your little ones to visit.  We also offer school tours, so tell your children’s school about this - we love to arrange for groups of students to visit and see how easy and fun it is to get started on a lifetime of good dental health.

  Please bear in mind: http://abbotsforddentists.com is an informational site featuring videos and articles about family dental health. To get the link to the entire series, please fill in the form to the upper right of the site.  You'll receive an email with the access instructions.  These resources are for information only and specific advice should be sought from your local dentist.  The corporate site for Clayburn Dental Centre is http://clayburndental.com