Parents frequently ask when they should bring their child in for their first dental visit. The American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry's recommendation is "first visit by first birthday". Your child should visit a dentist when the first tooth comes in, usually between six and twelve months of age. Early examination and preventive care will protect your child's smile now and in the future.

The most important reason is to begin a thorough prevention program. Dental problems can begin early - even before we see the first teeth. A big concern is Early Childhood Caries (also know as baby bottle tooth decay or nursing caries). To learn more about dental caries in both bottle and breastfed children read the articles provided in our links area.

The earlier the dental visit, the better the chance of preventing dental problems. Children with healthy teeth chew food easily, learn to speak clearly, and smile with confidence. Start your child now on a lifetime of good dental habits.

Dr. Brian Palmer, DDS, is one of the most outspoken and well-known defenders of breastfeeding as it relates to dental caries. He believes that early childhood caries are a relatively new phenomenon. Palmer has examined the skulls of prehistoric to early historic infants and children in various museums. Less than 1.4 percent of teeth that were examined had decay. Of 1,344 deciduous teeth examined, only 19 had any signs of decay, and of those 19, only four (0.3 percent) had significant decay.

More information comes from two different studies in which researchers compared the effects of modern-day artificial baby milk (formula) and human milk on some factors believed to contribute to dental caries. Their studies showed vital differences between human milk and most formulas. First, they found that human milk does not significantly lower the pH in the mouth, while almost all brands of artificial baby milk did. The bacteria that is thought to significantly contribute to decay,