Frequently Asked Questions of Children's Dentistry

Your child's first visit to the dentist should take place between 1 and 2 years of age. The first dental check-up identifies any dental issues with respect to the growth and dental development of the child; the dentist is also able to advise on nutrition and home dental care.

It is important that the child views a trip to the dentist for dental care as something routine, and not as an event to be feared. Thus, you can introduce the child to the dentist by bringing the child along with you (and other family members) for your own dental check ups. Let the child watch the procedure and ask questions, if he or she is curious.

After a few trips accompanying you to the dentist, the child will be more comfortable and will view the trip to the dentist as something routine that everyone in the family does to maintain healthy gums and a good smile.

There are also books that help prepare children for their first trip to the dentist. You can find these in bookstores or in the library.

Teeth-grinding during sleep is known as nocturnal bruxism. Usually, those that do grind their teeth when sleeping do not remember having done so. In adults, this condition is known to be related to stress and facial pain.

Children usually outgrow their nocturnal bruxism and suffer no short-term or long-term ill-effects. Up to this point, a predictable way to stop nocturnal bruxism has not been identified.