Just call me mother of the year...

[FlaTinkRAMESAM]

uuuuummm... my daughter will be 3 next Friday and I have never taken her to a dentist. Man I stink... :oops:

I don't even know when I was/am supposed to take her age wise. :confused:

And how much does it usually cost for a preschooler to get their teeth cleaned?:shrug:

UGH

Help

[5fromabove]

Actually, our dentist WON'T take kids until they are 3.5. The one we had before this one wouldn't take them until they were 5. :) So, stop beating yourself up :) Hope the appointment goes well for you. :)

[ncscgirl2005]

uuuuummm... my daughter will be 3 next Friday and I have never taken her to a dentist. Man I stink... :oops:

I don't even know when I was/am supposed to take her age wise. :confused:

And how much does it usually cost for a preschooler to get their teeth cleaned?:shrug:

UGH

Help

;) Don't worry. I think your daughter will be Ok. My first child didn't see a dentist until she was 4 (for lack of dental insurance and no money) and she had no problems. I believe they ask that you bring them in at around age 1 or so but I could be wrong about that. I can't remember the exact age with my youngest daughter. As far as the exact price goes it depends upon what dentist you use and whether or not you have insurance. Since this will be her first time they will probably want to get some xrays (?) to look for hidden cavities and signs of decay. With our insurance we each get two free cleanings a year, or every six months. Good Luck.

[merlinmagic4]

All the parenting magazines will tell you to take your child to a dentist by age one but I have not heard of one dentist who will see a child before age 3. Your pediatrician looks in her mouth during regular visits and would have let you know if they saw anything unusual. I wouldn't worry one bit!

[Magic Smiles]

My son goes to a children's dentist and he doesn't usually see the kids until they are 3. At 3 he did not do x-rays as their mouths are still to small. I do not know how much it would cost as we live in Canada and have dental insurance through our jobs.

[Madame Leona]

Our dentist won't see kids until they are 3 even though my pediatrician recommended he go sooner. I'm not too worried though. I'm not sure how much most dentists charge but mine charges $55.00 for an adult cleaning. I'm not sure if it's different for a peanut.

[tinksmom02]

I took DD when she was 18months, but that was because she fell out of her seat and bumped her mouth on the table. (no damage, thank goodness) She's been going every six months since then, for checkups and cleanings.

Couldn't tell you what it costs--I pay OOP for her dentist, but can't remember. I know they did XRays on her I think when she turned 4.

She has an appointment on the 17th, I could let you know after then what I paid LOL

[murphy1]

don't worry, most are seen starting around three. If the child has trouble, they won't do anything. We go to a ped dentist where they have video games and movies and my kids love it. We file insurance for cleanings. Oh, just to let you know, around six they told me to start using ACT rinse and it really helps with cavities with my two oldest, especially since we try to floss but don't always.

[BrerGnat]

Don't feel bad. My son is 3.5 and hasn't been yet either. He is autistic, and I REALLY don't think it will go well. I am waiting until he is old enough to really understand what the dentist is and what is expected of him when we go. In the meantime, he is a VERY good teeth brusher. :D He brushes his teeth about 5 times a day...he loves it! BUT, he won't let me go near him with the brush, which is why I am worried about the dentist.

As long as your child brushes regularly and doesn't still use a bottle or anything, I'd not worry.

Many pediatric dentists will do the first toddler visit for free! Call around and ask. I get flyers in the mail from the dentists all around the town with that offer. Otherwise, add your child to your dental insurance, if you have it. Cleanings are usually 100% covered 2x/year.

[Sean Riley Taylor's Mom]

My MIL works for our Dentist and he will not see my DD for more then just a glimpse in her mouth to look for obvious problems, until she is 5.

My sons both went to a Pediatric dental group when they were young and they saw them at 1. But, the Dentist we used there has since left and I do not care for the other ones in the practice. They now go to our Dentist.

Don't feel bad.

[FlaTinkRAMESAM]

whew! this makes me feel much better...

i haven't made an appt for her yet...it was late in the day that i really started thinking about this...

i have no insurance, but she is on amerigroup/medicaid...but i don't think they cover dental...

you guys all rock. :thumbsup:

[tinkerbell04]

I started taking my daughter when she was three and a half. She has been seen every six months since then, but it really is jujst a peek in there and a quick polish. This month she turns six and also goes to the dentist, this will be the first time that she will get x-rays. Our insurance covers our dental so I am not sure of the going rate. YOur daughter will be fine :):mickey:

[conorsmom2000]

We also took Conor when he was around 3. We've got a long dental saga that's too long to go into but unfortunately, my son has had nothing but trouble with his teeth due to the enamel wearing away. After a night mare first dentist, we now have a wonderful Pediatric one who has seen Conor through 7 fillings and 2 teeth being pulled. :( Luckily, his last 2 check ups have been perfect so hopefully he won't always be scared of the dentist like he is now (and like his Mom is! :blush: )

[JessicaRabbit]

Don't feel bad at all - my two oldest children didn't go the dentist until around 4 or 5 (no one told me back then to do it beforehand!) and neither of them have had any problems(though my now 12 year old needs braces).

My youngest first saw a dentist at age 3 but she had horrible dental problems (we had a similar situation to Conorsmom2000 - a long and drawn out set of problems) but she came through fine and now at 7 has no problems and doesn't fear the dentist like she did when she was little.

Our dentist charges $60.00 per cleaning for our kids. I don't know if this charge varies from state to state or dentist to dentist though.....

Good luck - and don't feel bad, your daugher will be fine:mickey:

[princessgirls]

Keep up with good brushing habits, ACT flouride rinse and the flouride vitamins that are prescribed by your pediatrician. My dentist told me those vitamins MAKE A HUGE difference in children's tooth decay, so if you can't get to the dentist, do all you can.

FYI~ here in Northern NJ, my dentist gets $100 for a cleaning for each one of my princesses. But, on the flip side they are a wonderful caring office, and my girls don't mind going at all. My insurance does cover all the preventative visits.

Good Luck!
Julie:mickey: