Your child's first dental visit: a parent's guide

The recommendation is the first dental visit within six months of the first tooth erupting, or by the first birthday. It is mostly a conversation with the parent about feeding, cleaning and habits, plus a quick lap examination.

Language matters enormously. Avoid words like pain, injection, drill or 'it won't hurt' - children hear the negative word and ignore the negation. Say the dentist is going to count and clean their teeth.

Do not use the dentist as a threat for not brushing. Children who arrive expecting punishment are far harder to treat and carry that anxiety into adulthood.

Bottle feeding at night after teeth erupt is the single biggest cause of early childhood caries. Milk pools around the upper front teeth for hours. Wipe the gums and teeth with a clean cloth after the last feed.

Permanent first molars erupt around age six, usually behind the milk teeth without any tooth falling out, so parents often miss them. These are the most cavity-prone teeth in the mouth and are the prime candidates for sealants.