Yeah, that's pretty spot-on advice. Honestly, I wish more parents knew this stuff early on. I've seen so many kids come in at 4 or 5 already terrified because their first experience was dealing with cavities or something painful. Not exactly the best intro to dentistry, right?
But here's the thing—do you think there's ever a point that's too early? Like, I've had parents bring in babies who barely have one tooth poking through, and sometimes I wonder if it's really helpful or just stressing everyone out unnecessarily. I mean, sure, it's great to get them comfortable early, but is there a sweet spot between "too soon" and "too late"?
I remember one mom brought her 6-month-old in because she read somewhere online that she should. The baby didn't even have teeth yet! We basically just chatted about teething and gum care for 10 minutes while the baby drooled all over my gloves (occupational hazard, haha). It wasn't a bad visit or anything, but it did make me wonder if maybe we dental folks sometimes push the early visits a bit too hard.
On the flip side, waiting until they're older definitely has its downsides. I've had plenty of anxious little patients who probably wouldn't have been so scared if they'd started earlier. So maybe erring on the side of caution isn't such a bad thing after all?
I dunno...maybe I'm just overthinking it (wouldn't be the first time). Curious what others think about this—anyone else feel like there's a balance to strike here?
I get what you're saying about the super early visits feeling a bit unnecessary. But honestly, as a parent who's been through this twice now, I think there's more value in those early check-ins than you might realize. Sure, bringing in a toothless 6-month-old might seem pointless from a purely dental perspective, but it's actually pretty reassuring for parents—especially first-timers who are bombarded with conflicting advice online.
When my oldest was around 7 months, we took her in even though she barely had one tooth poking through. The dentist didn't do much besides look around and chat with us about teething and gum care (sounds familiar, right?). But that conversation alone was super helpful. It cleared up some misconceptions we had about fluoride toothpaste and pacifier use, stuff we probably wouldn't have thought to ask otherwise. Plus, it made the dentist's office feel like a familiar place rather than something scary or unknown later on.
On the flip side though, I do wonder if there's a point where these visits become more stressful than beneficial. Like, if parents are already anxious or overwhelmed, could pushing them to come in too early just add unnecessary pressure? Maybe there's room for flexibility here—like offering optional "meet-and-greet" style visits for babies under one year old rather than making it sound mandatory?
I guess what I'm saying is that while I agree earlier is generally better than later, maybe dentists could frame these super-early visits differently. Less "you must do this now!" and more "hey, we're here if you need reassurance or guidance." Might strike a better balance between helpfulness and stress...
"Maybe there's room for flexibility here—like offering optional 'meet-and-greet' style visits for babies under one year old rather than making it sound mandatory?"
Exactly this. When my daughter was around 8 months, our dentist suggested an informal "first visit," but we were on a tight budget and hesitated at first. We eventually went, and even though it felt a bit silly at the time, it actually helped ease our anxiety about future visits. Optional check-ins without pressure definitely make sense, especially when you're balancing reassurance with cost and stress levels...
Totally get what you're saying about the optional meet-and-greet idea. When our pediatrician first mentioned taking our son around his first birthday, I thought it was way too early...like, he barely had teeth! But honestly, having a casual visit without pressure made future appointments feel way less intimidating. Like you said:
"Optional check-ins without pressure definitely make sense, especially when you're balancing reassurance with cost and stress levels..."
It doesn't have to be a big deal—just helps set the stage for smoother visits later on.
I see your point about easing anxiety, but honestly, I'm not convinced these early visits are always necessary. When my kids were little, we waited until closer to two years old because they barely had teeth at one year—just seemed premature. We still had smooth visits later on without the early meet-and-greet. I think sometimes parents feel pressured into these optional appointments when good dental habits at home might be enough at that stage...