When should the first visit happen?

The Australian Dental Association recommends a child’s first dental visit by their first birthday, or within 6 months of the first tooth erupting – whichever comes first. Most babies get their first tooth between 6 and 10 months.

This timing surprises many parents. The reasoning is twofold:

• Clinical: Early childhood caries (tooth decay in baby teeth) can start as soon as teeth appear. The earlier a dentist can assess risk factors – diet, brushing habits, enamel quality – the earlier they can intervene with simple, low-cost prevention
• Behavioural: A child who visits the dentist regularly from infancy treats it as a normal part of life. A child whose first visit is at age 4 or 5 – often because something hurts – associates the dentist with pain and fear. Early visits break the cycle of dental anxiety before it starts

What happens at the first appointment

A first dental visit for a baby or toddler is very different from an adult appointment. There is no scraping, no drilling, no X-rays (unless there is a specific concern). The visit typically follows this pattern:

The “lap-and-look” examination

Your child sits on your lap, facing the dentist. The dentist gently tilts the child’s head back and uses a small mirror and a gloved finger to examine:

• The number and position of erupted teeth
• Any white spots or discolouration (early decay indicators)
• Gum health and colour
• The developing bite – how the upper and lower teeth meet
• Tongue-tie or lip-tie that might affect feeding or speech
• The frenulum (the tissue connecting the lip to the gum) for tightness

This examination takes 3–5 minutes. If the child is cooperative, the dentist may gently brush the teeth with a soft brush to demonstrate technique for the parent.

Parent guidance

The second part of the visit is a conversation with you. The dentist will ask about and advise on:

• Brushing: When to start, what toothpaste to use, how to position the child for effective brushing
• Diet: Frequency of sugary drinks and snacks (frequency matters more than quantity for decay risk), bottle and breastfeeding habits at night
• Dummy use: When to wean off the dummy to avoid bite and palate changes (ideally by age 2–3)
• Thumb-sucking: Whether to intervene and at what age
• Fluoride: Appropriate toothpaste type and amount for the child’s age
• Teething: What to expect and safe teething relief options

How to prepare your child

The goal is to make the visit feel ordinary, not scary. Here is what helps:

• Use simple, positive language: “The dentist is going to count your teeth and make sure they’re growing nicely.” Avoid words like “needle”, “hurt”, “drill”, or “pull out” – even in the negative (“it won’t hurt”)
• Read a picture book about the dentist: Several Australian children’s books cover this topic. Reading it in the days before normalises the experience
• Manage your own anxiety: Children are remarkably sensitive to parental stress. If you are nervous about dentists, work hard not to transmit that – your child takes cues from your body language and tone of voice
• Schedule wisely: Book the appointment for a time when your child is rested and fed. A hungry, tired toddler is much harder to settle
• Bring a comfort item: A favourite toy or blanket can help

If your child cries or refuses to open their mouth: that is completely normal for a first visit, particularly for children under 2. A good paediatric-friendly dentist will not force the examination. They will try a brief look, give what guidance they can, and suggest returning in 3–6 months. This is fine – the goal of the first visit is familiarisation, not a comprehensive exam.

The Child Dental Benefits Schedule (CDBS) – what it covers

The CDBS is a Medicare-administered scheme that provides eligible children aged 0–17 with up to $1,158 in basic dental services for 2 consecutive calendar years.

Eligibility

Your child is eligible if they are aged 0–17 at any point during the calendar year AND your family receives a qualifying government payment, such as:

• Family Tax Benefit Part A
• Carer Payment
• Disability Support Pension
• Parenting Payment
• Youth Allowance
• ABSTUDY

Medicare will send a letter confirming eligibility. You can also check via your Medicare online account or by calling Medicare on 132 011.

What is covered

• Check-ups and examinations
• X-rays
• Professional cleans
• Fissure sealants
• Fillings
• Root canal treatment on baby teeth
• Extractions

What is NOT covered

• Orthodontic treatment (braces)
• Cosmetic procedures
• Hospital treatment

Pakenham Creek Family Dentist bulk-bills under CDBS, which means the practice claims directly from Medicare and you pay nothing out of pocket for covered services. Bring your child’s Medicare card to the appointment.

Building good dental habits from the start

Brushing by age

• 0–17 months: Wipe gums with a clean, damp cloth after feeding. Once the first tooth appears, use a soft infant toothbrush with water only
• 18 months – 5 years: Brush twice daily with a pea-sized amount of low-fluoride children’s toothpaste (400–550 ppm). An adult must do the brushing – children do not have the manual dexterity to brush effectively on their own
• 6 years onward: Switch to standard fluoride toothpaste (1,000 ppm). An adult should supervise until at least age 8

Diet tips for healthy teeth

• Limit sugary drinks to mealtimes only – water between meals
• Avoid putting juice, cordial, or milk in a sippy cup or bottle for prolonged sipping (this bathes the teeth in sugar)
• Night-time bottle or breastfeeding after teeth erupt increases decay risk – discuss weaning strategies with your dentist
• Cheese, raw vegetables, and nuts (age-appropriate) are tooth-friendly snacks

Fissure sealants

Fissure sealants are thin protective coatings painted onto the chewing surfaces of the back teeth to seal the deep grooves where decay starts. They are quick, painless, and do not require drilling. The Australian Dental Association recommends sealants on the first permanent molars (around age 6) and the second permanent molars (around age 12). Sealants are covered under CDBS for eligible children.

When to see the dentist urgently

Between regular check-ups, bring your child in promptly if you notice:

• A white, brown, or dark spot on any tooth (early decay)
• A chipped, cracked, or knocked-out tooth (dental trauma – common in toddlers learning to walk and active children)
• Persistent toothache or pain when eating
• Swelling of the face, gum, or cheek
• Bleeding gums that do not stop after gentle brushing
• An adult tooth coming in behind a baby tooth that has not fallen out (“shark tooth”)

For a knocked-out permanent tooth: find the tooth, hold it by the crown (not the root), rinse gently with milk or saliva, and store in milk or the child’s saliva. Get to the dentist within 30 minutes if possible – re-implantation success drops significantly after 60 minutes.