How children's dental needs change from the first tooth through to age 12, a stage-by-stage guide from Waterdown Kids Dentistry.
The first tooth usually appears around six months. From that point, teeth need cleaning: a soft cloth or infant brush is enough. First visits at this age focus on teething relief, feeding and bottle habits, and checking that development is on track. This is also when we can identify tongue-ties and lip-ties that interfere with feeding.
The cavity years begin here, largely because toddlers snack often and cannot brush effectively on their own. Expect us to talk about sippy cups, bedtime bottles, and how to make brushing a two-minute routine rather than a two-person wrestling match. Appointments are short and playful. We use tell-show-do: explain it, demonstrate it, then do it.
Permanent molars arrive around age six: the single most cavity-prone teeth in the mouth, and the reason sealants matter so much at this stage. Baby teeth start falling out, and we begin watching how permanent teeth are lining up. This is the ideal window to catch crowding, crossbites and habits like thumb-sucking, while growth can still be guided.
By this stage the mouth is mostly adult, and the job shifts: orthodontic follow-through, sports mouthguards, and a frank conversation about energy drinks, sugary sports drinks and the fact that nobody else is going to remind them to floss. We speak to pre-teens directly rather than through their parents. It works considerably better at this age.
Dr. Mansour sees children up to their twelfth birthday. By then a child has usually outgrown the need for a pediatric-focused practice, and we will help you move on to a family dentist with a full copy of their records and a summary of anything worth watching. The aim is that your child leaves us confident in a dental chair, which is the whole point of starting early.
We are welcoming founding families ahead of our September 2026 opening in Waterdown.