16 Questions You Should Ask Your Child's Dentist

Making sure your child has good dental care — brushing and flossing daily, seeing a dentist regularly and getting necessary treatments — is not just about how their smile looks. Taking care of teeth and gums may mean preventing and correcting problems with tooth decay, bite, infections, speech development and facial and jaw bone development.¹

If you’re unsure how to help your child take care of their teeth and learn good dental care habits, ask at your next dental appointment. Here are some common questions parents have about dental care for their children.

1. How Do I Help My Child Who’s Nervous About a Dental Visit?

If your child has dental anxiety, don’t overexplain or go into too many details. Keep your talk about the dental visit simple. Be positive. If you want to add more, consider explaining that dentists are our protectors because they help people prevent cavities, which can hurt.²

Ask your dentist what they advise for parents of children with dental anxiety. You may also want to ask about sedation options for your child if they require extensive work or are especially anxious. Does the dentist recommend this? Are there potential side effects?³

2. How Often Should My Child Get a Dental Checkup?

In general, a child should see a dentist six months after the first tooth appears and then return for checkups every six months.² However, some children have individual needs, so after the dentist examines your child, ask how often they should return for checkups and cleanings.⁴

3. How Is My Child’s Overall Dental Health?

During the dental exam, the dentist will examine your child’s teeth and gums and check to ensure that teeth are lining up correctly. The exam will also include professional teeth cleaning to remove excess bacteria that can cause cavities. Your child’s dentist will tell you about your child’s overall dental health and anything that might need attention based on their assessment.⁵

4. How Can I Help Improve My Child’s Dental Health?

Ask your child's dentist for their advice on cleaning your child's teeth, using pacifiers and what else you need to know to help your child establish good dental hygiene habits.⁶

5. How Should My Child Brush Their Teeth?

Your pediatric dentist knows how to teach children good toothbrushing techniques, and they will show your child how to brush.⁷ For example, here’s what you should know about brushing infants’ and children's teeth: Once the first tooth appears, you should brush the baby’s teeth twice a day with a toothbrush that’s an appropriate size for their age.⁸ Children’s teeth are sensitive, so it's important to gently brush in a circular motion, and never scrub the teeth.⁸

6. Should My Child Use a Soft- or Hard-Bristled Toothbrush?

Most dentists recommend a children’s toothbrush with small and soft bristles. Choosing a child’s toothbrush with designs, colors or characters that your child likes may make them more excited about brushing.⁹

7. What Kind of Toothpaste Should My Child Use, and How Much?

Some children, especially those ages 2 to 6, tend to swallow toothpaste. For this reason, many dentists will advise that you purchase a low-fluoride toothpaste marketed specifically for children.²

After the first tooth appears, use a rice-sized amount of toothpaste. From ages 3 to 6, use a pea-sized amount. After age 6, most children have stopped swallowing toothpaste and can properly spit, so they can safely switch to a child’s toothpaste with fluoride.⁸

8. Should My Child Take Fluoride?

Most dentists recommend you select toothpaste that contains fluoride, a mineral that helps prevent tooth decay (most do). It's also added to the water supply in many places. If your area's water doesn't contain fluoride, ask your dentist if your child needs fluoride supplements, which are available in drop or tablet form, and may be suitable for children 6 months and older. Insurance plans often cover fluoride supplements.¹⁰

9. When and How Should Children Floss?

Getting your children used to flossing from the start is ideal because flossing is a habit that may impact their lifelong health. People who floss daily average five more years of life expectancy than those who don’t.¹¹ When children have two teeth touching — usually at age 2 or 3 — they can start flossing.⁸ Ask your dentist if you’re unsure.

10. Is It Normal for a Child’s Gums to Bleed After Brushing?

When a child’s gums bleed after brushing, it may be from gingivitis or periodontal disease, both of which require treatment. Gingivitis, a milder form of periodontal disease, is when plaque builds up and causes bacteria to grow and irritate the gums. If untreated for too long, it can become periodontitis, which is more serious. In addition to the gums and teeth, it can affect deep tissue and bone. Schedule a visit to your child’s dentist if you see bleeding gums.¹²

11. Does My Child Need X-rays?

While your child likely won’t need an X-ray during every checkup, your dentist may want to take them when necessary to keep track of tooth and jaw growth. X-rays can also help the dentist spot decay that can’t easily be seen.⁵

Unless there’s been some sort of trauma, children generally don’t need dental X-rays until after they are 5 years old.⁷

12. Does My Child Need Dental Sealants?

Sealants provide a thin protective coating that can help protect teeth from decay, especially in areas that are hard to reach with a toothbrush. Getting sealants is easy and painless. They are painted on as a liquid and quickly harden. Kids should begin getting sealants when their first molars come in, generally between ages 6 and 12. Talk to your dentist about whether they recommend sealants for your child.⁵

13. Does My Child Need Fluoride Treatments?

Like sealants, fluoride treatments are often considered an effective way to prevent tooth decay and help strengthen the enamel of developing teeth. Professional dental fluoride treatments — usually in the form of a gel or foam — can be applied during routine exams.¹³

14. Do Baby Teeth Matter?

Some parents think it’s not important to spend time and money treating problems with baby teeth, but many dentists will tell you that it is. It’s generally not a good idea to remove a baby tooth with a cavity or that’s otherwise causing pain and wait for the permanent tooth to grow in. By staying in place until they fall out naturally, those baby teeth can help your child learn to speak correctly, prevent the onset of orthodontic problems and help social development.¹⁴

15. Should My Child Wear a Mouthguard While Playing Sports?

Most dentists recommend a mouthguard, especially for kids who play sports year-round. The National Youth Sports Foundation for Safety reports dental injuries are the most common type of orofacial injury children get while playing sports.¹⁵ If your child already wears a mouthguard, bring it to the appointment so the dentist can check that it fits properly and if and when it needs to be replaced.⁵

16. Is It Safe for Kids to Use Teeth-Whitening Products?

The American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry does not recommend teeth-whitening treatment for children under 15 due to insufficient research on the subject. Teeth-whitening products contain hydrogen peroxide, which can have adverse effects on young teeth, which have thinner enamel and dentin and larger pulp than adult teeth. Whitening products can damage gum tissue, injure the tooth pulp or nerves, cause enamel pitting and disintegration, increase tooth sensitivity, demineralize dentin and cause variations in tooth color.¹⁶

Dental Financing With the CareCredit Credit Card

Regular dental checkups are important to help prevent, identify and treat dental problems before they become more advanced. The CareCredit credit card can help you pay for dental exams, cosmetic dental procedures and other costs that insurance doesn’t cover — to help you keep your pearly whites bright and healthy.* Use our Acceptance Locator to find a dentist near you that accepts CareCredit. Make the most of your wellness journey by downloading the CareCredit Mobile App. You can find a provider on the go, manage your CareCredit account and easily access the Well U blog for more great articles, podcasts and videos.

In addition to dental care, you can also use your CareCredit credit card for pet care, cosmetic, vision, hearing, health systems, dermatology, pharmacy purchases, spa treatments and so much more within the CareCredit network. How will you invest in your health and wellness next?

Author Bio

Leslie Lang is a writer with more than 20 years of experience covering health and wellness, banking and finance and technology. She has written for leading publications and organizations, including GoodRx.com, Healthgrades.com, Google, Adobe, Microsoft and more.