Rancho Santa Margarita
Infant Dentist

The American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry recommends that your child starts seeing a dentist when their first tooth erupts, or when they turn one year old (whichever comes first). Regular oral exams from a young age will help us tobecome more familiar with your child’s unique oral health challenges and will minimize the risk of dental anxiety in the future. Your child will also be less likely to develop cavities and other common oral health issues.

Typically, infants will only have a few of their teeth, so we will not perform a comprehensive cleaning and oral exam. Your child will usually start receiving standard cleanings and oral exams around the age of 2-3, or whenever they have most or all of their baby teeth.
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During your child’s appointment, you can hold your little one in your lap. We will examine your child’s mouth and take a look at their teeth and gums to identify any potential oral health issues or developmental problems. Then, we will gently clean their gums and any of their erupted teeth. Throughout your visit, we will answer any questions you have about your child’s oral development and discuss any follow-ups that may be required based on our findings.

It’s important to clean your child’s mouth with a wet washcloth or gauze at least twice a day after feedings until they are about 1 year old. Between the ages of 1-2, you can start brushing their teeth with a soft-bristled baby toothbrush, and use a small dab (about the size of a grain of rice) of non-fluoride toothpaste. Brush their teeth twice per day. Once most of your child’s teeth have come in, you should also start flossing between them at least once per day.