My dentist always said earlier is better, even if it's just to get the baby used to the environment. Honestly, starting at 6 months vs. 12 months probably won't make or break dental health, but earlier visits can help ease anxiety down the road...worked wonders with my grandkids.
"Honestly, starting at 6 months vs. 12 months probably won't make or break dental health..."
True, but from a budget perspective, those early visits can add up quickly. We waited until around 1 year with our little one and just practiced brushing at home...worked out fine anxiety-wise too.
We actually took our first around 8 months, mostly because he got his first teeth super early and I was paranoid about cavities. Honestly, the dentist didn't do much other than peek in his mouth and give us some brushing tips—stuff we could've easily googled. With our second, we waited until after her first birthday and just kept up good brushing habits at home. Worked out fine and saved us a bit of cash too...lesson learned, I guess.
We did something similar, waited until just after a year for both our kids. Honestly, if you're diligent about brushing at home, those early visits really are more reassurance than necessity. Good call on saving some cash... dental bills add up fast enough later on!
We ended up taking ours around 10 months, mostly because our pediatrician kept nudging us about it. Honestly, the dentist just peeked in there, said everything looked fine, and handed us a toothbrush we already had at home. Felt a bit silly paying for it. With our second, we waited until closer to two years, and nothing terrible happened...still no cavities. You're right though, saving a little cash early on feels good—especially when braces loom ominously in your future!
