When to take your little ones to the dentist...

I've gotten asked this question a lot and since I work at a dental office I thought I would give my two cents on this subject. Obviously there isn't a lot we can do when they are that little. We usually can do a cleaning on kids around ages four and five. We have had a couple we could do at age three. However it helps a lot to expose them to the environment. Bring them with you to your cleanings (easier said then done sometimes...I know). Let them sit in the chair with you. Practice looking in their mouth at home. Start brushing/cleaning their teeth (or gums in baby e's case) early on. It helps them get used to having people's hands in their mouth. We usually take a wash cloth while we are bathing miss e and wash her gums that way. I had asked the dentist I work for how to help miss e keep her teeth clean when they come in. One of the things he said was "don't kiss her on the mouth." The bacteria that are in your mouth are easily transported to her mouth that way. What?! How can you not kiss you little ones! If you do kiss your little ones that way, just make sure to wash their gums/teeth throughout the day. If any of you guys have any other questions, dental related or not feel free to e-mail me.