Booklet - Oral Health Care for your Children

Regular Dental Check-up Parents always think that their babies’ primary teeth will be replaced by permanent teeth so they need not have regular dental check-ups. In fact, parents should take their baby to the dentist for the first dental check-up 6 months within the first tooth appears, and subsequently for regular dental check-ups every 6 to 12 months. The reasons are: Dentists can monitor your child’s oral health by his/her yearly dental records. Dentist can give parents the oral care advice according to your child’s condition to enable your child develops good oral care habits early. A child might have already established a bad dietary and oral care habit, or even have been suffering from dental diseases, if he/she does not have regular dental check-ups until all primary teeth have erupted. Early dental check-up makes it easier for the dentist to examine your child’s teeth in future as a relationship is already established between your child and the dentist. Note If the first tooth does not come through within 16 to 18 months after birth, parents should take their child to a dentist for an oral examination. At present, the Government of the Hong Kong SAR does not have dental service for the pre-school children. Parents can seek advice from friends and relatives for a reputable dentist.