Haha, I totally get the pressure thing. When our pediatrician casually mentioned a dentist visit at 12 months, my wallet practically jumped out of my pocket and ran away. 😂 We ended up waiting until around 18 months because, honestly, my kid had like three teeth at one year old—didn't seem worth the copay just yet.
But now I'm curious...does anyone know if dentists actually do anything significant at these super early visits besides counting teeth and handing out stickers? I mean, stickers are cool and all, but we can get those at home for a lot cheaper. 😅
We took our daughter around 14 months because I was feeling the same pressure from our pediatrician. Honestly, the dentist just peeked in her mouth, counted teeth, and gave us a quick rundown on brushing tips (which we already knew from Dr. Google). The stickers were a hit though...for about five minutes before she stuck them all over the car seat.
But now that you mention it, I'm wondering if maybe these early visits are more about getting kids comfortable with the dentist rather than actually doing anything significant? Like maybe it's just to avoid meltdowns later when they actually need real dental work. I mean, my nephew didn't go until he was almost three and his first visit was a total disaster—tears, screaming, the whole nine yards. Maybe there's something to be said for easing them into it earlier?
Still, at $50 a pop for basically a tooth-counting session...I dunno. Feels like we could've waited a bit longer.
Has anyone had an early dentist visit where they actually caught something important or helpful? Or is it mostly just about building good habits and comfort levels?
"Maybe there's something to be said for easing them into it earlier?"
I think you're onto something here. We took our son around 12 months, and honestly, I was pretty anxious about it. But the dentist explained that these early visits are mostly about spotting potential issues like enamel defects or early decay—stuff that's easier to manage if caught early. Nothing major came up for us, thankfully, but it did ease my anxiety a bit knowing someone professional had checked. Still, I totally get the frustration about the cost...$50 does feel steep for a quick peek.
We took our daughter at around 10 months, mostly because I was stressing myself out reading horror stories online (rookie mistake, I know...). Honestly, it felt a bit silly at first, but like you said:
"it did ease my anxiety a bit knowing someone professional had checked."
Exactly this. It was reassuring to have a pro confirm everything looked good. Still, $50 for a quick glance does sting a little—maybe next time I'll ask if they throw in a sticker for anxious parents too, haha.
We ended up waiting until our son was about 18 months for his first dentist visit, mainly because our pediatrician said it was fine to wait until he had more teeth. I totally get the anxiety though...I spent way too many nights googling worst-case scenarios myself. But honestly, unless there's a specific concern, I think it's okay to hold off a bit longer. Dentists are great, but $50 for a quick peek at two tiny teeth does feel a little steep! Maybe I'm just cheap, haha.
