Baby Teeth
– First Visit
Gentle care for your little one’s first smile
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Your Baby’s First Teeth & First Dental Visit
Watching your baby’s first teeth come in is an exciting milestone. Whether you’re navigating teething for the first time or wondering when to schedule your baby’s first dental visit, we’re here to help make this journey easy and enjoyable for both of you.
At Seller & Laframboise Dentistry, we specialize in making first dental visits positive experiences. Our team takes a gentle, patient approach with little ones—building trust and comfort from the very first appointment. We’ll guide you through caring for baby teeth, answer your questions about teething, and help establish healthy habits that last a lifetime.
Understanding Baby Teeth
Baby teeth—also called primary teeth—are more important than many parents realize. These first teeth help your child chew food, speak clearly, and hold space for the permanent teeth developing beneath the gums.
Most babies start teething around 6 months, though some begin earlier or later. The timing varies from child to child, and there’s a wide range of normal. The first teeth to appear are usually the lower front teeth, followed by the upper front teeth.
By age 3, most children have their full set of 20 baby teeth. Understanding the baby teeth timeline helps you know what to expect and when to seek guidance from our team.
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Baby Teeth Chart: When Teeth Come In
Wondering when baby teeth come in? Here’s a helpful guide showing the typical order and timing. Remember, every child is different—variations in this timeline are completely normal.
Signs Your Baby Is Teething
Wondering if your baby is teething? Watch for these common signs. While some babies breeze through teething with minimal fuss, others experience more noticeable discomfort.
Increased drooling and fussiness
Swollen or tender gums
Wanting to chew on objects
Changes in eating or sleeping patterns
Mild irritability or restlessness
Rubbing cheeks or pulling ears
A low-grade fever (though high fever warrants a doctor visit)
Visible tooth bud under the gums
Mild gum bleeding when teeth break through
If you’re unsure whether symptoms are related to teething or have concerns about your baby’s comfort, we’re happy to take a look and offer guidance. Teething is a normal process, but we’re here to help if you need reassurance.
Ready to schedule your baby’s first dental visit?
Schedule Your Consultation Schedule Your ConsultationWhat to Expect at Baby’s First Visit
Your baby’s first dental visit is all about building comfort and trust. We take a gentle, unhurried approach so your little one feels safe—and so you feel confident about caring for their teeth at home.
Your Baby’s First Dental Visit
We recommend scheduling your baby’s first dental visit by their first birthday or within six months of their first tooth coming in. This early visit helps us establish a comfortable relationship with your child, check that teeth are developing properly, and give you guidance on caring for baby teeth at home.
Gentle Examinations for Little Ones
Our team specializes in making first visits positive experiences. Dr. Laframboise and our staff take time to let your baby get comfortable, using a gentle approach that sets the foundation for a lifetime of healthy dental habits. We’ll check tooth development, gum health, and discuss feeding habits. We may also recommend dental sealants to protect your child’s molars as they come in.
Parent Guidance & Education
We’ll show you how to brush your baby’s teeth properly, discuss when to start brushing, and answer all your questions about teething, pacifier use, thumb sucking, and nutrition. Taking care of baby teeth now helps protect permanent teeth later—and can prevent common concerns like bad breath in children.
Why Early Dental Visits Matter
Starting dental visits early—by age one—helps your child become comfortable with the dental office before any treatment is ever needed. These positive early experiences build a foundation for a lifetime of healthy dental habits.
Early visits also allow us to catch potential concerns while they’re small and easy to address. We can identify issues with tooth development, spot early signs of decay, and provide guidance on nutrition, pacifier habits, and thumb sucking before problems develop.
Taking care of baby teeth now protects the permanent teeth growing underneath. When baby teeth are lost too early due to decay, it can affect how adult teeth come in later.
Schedule a VisitSchedule a VisitBaby’s First Dental Visit in Ottawa
At Seller & Laframboise Dentistry, we’ve been welcoming families to our Ottawa practice for over 25 years. Dr. Laframboise completed her residency at The Hospital for Sick Children, bringing specialized experience in caring for young patients. Our team loves working with little ones and making first dental visits something to smile about.
We understand that visiting the dentist with a baby or toddler can feel daunting. That’s why we take our time, keep things relaxed, and even have toy prizes for children after their appointments. Our goal is for your child to leave happy—and for you to leave with confidence about caring for those precious baby teeth at home.
FAQ
You can start cleaning your baby’s gums even before the first teeth come in, using a soft, damp cloth after feedings. Once the first baby teeth appear, you should begin brushing with a soft-bristled infant toothbrush and a tiny smear of fluoride toothpaste (about the size of a grain of rice). As more teeth come in, brushing twice daily becomes important.
Use a soft infant toothbrush with a rice-grain-sized amount of fluoride toothpaste. Gently brush all surfaces of each tooth using small circular motions. You can position your baby in your lap facing away from you, or lay them down with their head in your lap. Make it fun with songs or games to help establish positive brushing habits early.
Common signs baby is teething include increased drooling, fussiness, swollen gums, wanting to chew on objects, and changes in eating or sleeping patterns. Some babies experience mild fever or irritability. Teething symptoms in babies vary—some have noticeable discomfort while others breeze through with minimal fuss.
Most babies get their first teeth between 6 and 10 months, though this varies. The lower front teeth usually appear first, followed by the upper front teeth. By age 3, most children have all 20 baby teeth. If your baby hasn’t gotten any teeth by 12 months, mention it at their checkup, but late teething is often just normal variation.
The typical baby teeth order starts with the lower central incisors (bottom front), then upper central incisors, lateral incisors, first molars, canines, and finally second molars. However, every child is different—the order of baby teeth can vary, and that’s usually nothing to worry about.
Baby teeth serve crucial roles: they help your child chew food properly, speak clearly, and hold space for permanent teeth. Decay in baby teeth can spread to developing adult teeth underneath and cause pain, infection, or early tooth loss that affects how permanent teeth come in. Taking care of baby teeth protects your child’s long-term oral health.
We recommend a child’s first dental visit by age one or within six months of their first tooth appearing—whichever comes first. Early visits help us catch any concerns early, establish a dental home for your child, and help them feel comfortable with dental care before any treatment is ever needed.
Let’s Make Baby’s First Visit a Great One
Whether your baby’s first teeth are just coming in or you’re ready to schedule that first checkup, we’re here to help. Our gentle approach and experienced team make dental visits comfortable for even the littlest patients.