While new parents are good about taking their babies to the pediatrician for regular checkups and immunizations, they seem to feel it is not necessary to go to the dentist. Many young children do not see the dentist until they have all their teeth or have cavities. Some children will not have any dental care until they have their permanent teeth. The truth is, you should take your child to see the dentist as soon as he or she has a tooth, and definitely before turning one. Good dental hygiene and health is important to your young child for many reasons. Here a just a few advantages your child will have by starting to see a pediatric dentist at a very early age.

Healthier Permanent Teeth

If a child develops dental decay in a baby tooth, even if the cavity is filled, the decay can travel through the gum and into the permanent tooth below. In addition, if the tooth is pulled, or falls out, the other teeth will shift to fill the space, making it more difficult for the permanent tooth to come through. The permanent teeth can be crowded and crooked due to prematurely lost baby teeth.

Speech

Teeth are important in the formation of words. If a child has missing, decayed or even sore teeth, he or she may make adjustments that keep their mouth from forming the words correctly. Crowded or misaligned teeth can cause the same problems. This will become habit and the child may need to go to a speech therapist to relearn how to speak properly.

Minor Mouth Problems

A child can be born with minor mouth problems that can cause problems eating or speaking. While a pediatrician will often notice if an infant is tongue-tied, or has an upper-lip tie, it usually takes a dental professional to find and diagnose problems with the salivary glands. Without proper saliva, digestion does not get started. This will also leave food particles in the mouth that will decay and lead to tooth and gum infections.

Taking your child to a pediatric dentist when he or she is just starting to get teeth helps your child become more comfortable with the procedures. The dentist can also teach proper dental hygiene to you and the toddler. Tooth decay and infections can travel through the bloodstream causing trouble in other organs and systems. Give your child the best chance to keep his or her teeth, and the rest of the body healthy, go to the dentist early and regularly.