The health of your teeth, gums, and mouth plays an important role in overall health, well-being, and quality of life. Consider how a toothache interferes with your ability to get the restful sleep you need to be the most productive worker or the best parent or caregiver. Or, think of the last time you had an aching jaw or tooth and how that interfered with basic functions such as chewing food. 

Oral health is vital at every stage of life; however, we at Scott and Derry Dental Care intimately understand how critical our services are for the kids we serve in and around Milton, Ontario. These formative years set the stage for healthy oral development integral to physical, mental, emotional, and social well-being. The partnerships that we develop with caregivers now can truly guide a lifetime of health and wellness, and not just pretty, white teeth. 

The rule of firsts

At Scott and Derry Dental Care, we encourage parents to think in terms of the “firsts”:

• The first visit 
• Scheduled no later than the child’s first birthday 
• Or, scheduled as soon as the first tooth erupts or is visible in the mouth 

While this may sound quite early for a child to start visiting the dentist, these first appointments are all about getting into a healthy and comfortable pattern. We also assess the state of your infant’s developing teeth, gums, mouth, and jaws. Furthermore, these visits help establish a strong and relaxed bond between parent, child, dentist, and staff. Perceptions of many different experiences and individuals develop in early childhood so, we want to assure your child’s experience is as pleasant and non-scary as possible. 

The gums and mouth also require special attention even before teeth are present because healthy oral tissues promote proper development of the teeth. And baby teeth, furthermore, promote the healthy development of the permanent or secondary teeth. Remember: Just because they are “designed” to fall out does not mean baby teeth are unimportant!