A Parent's Guide to Your Child's Smile
From first tooth to first set of braces, here's what to expect at every stage — and how you can help your kids grow up loving the dentist.
0–6
The Growing Years
First teeth come in, baby teeth fall out, and the foundation for a lifetime gets built.
1
First Dental Visit
The AGD recommends the first visit by age one — and how you talk about it matters.
7+
Time for an Ortho Check
Age 7 is when we can start spotting alignment issues early — before they get harder to fix.
0–6
The Growing Years
Baby's first teeth — and everything that follows
What every parent should know
All 20 of your baby's primary teeth are already present in the jaw bones at birth. They erupt during the first three years, and while they're “just baby teeth,” they matter — a lot. They shape how your child chews, speaks, and even how their face develops.
Why primary teeth matter
Baby teeth aren't just placeholders. They help your child learn to chew properly, develop clear speech, and guide the permanent teeth into the right positions underneath.
Both primary and permanent teeth also help give the face its shape and form — which is why early dental care has effects well beyond the mouth.
What you can do at home
Start cleaning your baby's gums with a soft cloth even before the first tooth appears. Once teeth come in, brush twice a day with a soft child-sized brush and a rice-grain-sized smear of fluoride toothpaste.
And bring them in by their first birthday. We'll take it from there.
Primary Teeth — When they erupt, when they fall out
Every child is different — these are typical ranges, not a schedule to worry about.
Upper Teeth
Lower Teeth
Permanent Teeth — When they come in
The first permanent molars typically show up around age 6 — often before the first baby tooth is lost. Hover any row or tooth below to link the two.
Upper Teeth
Lower Teeth
1
The First Visit
How to make your child's first dental visit a good one
The recommendation
Both River Street Dental and the Academy of General Dentistry recommend bringing your child in for their first visit by age one. It's early — but that's the point. The first visit sets the tone for every visit after.
How you talk about the dentist matters more than you'd think.
Kids pick up on everything. The words you use before that first appointment can shape how they feel about dental care for years — so a little intention goes a long way.
Do
- ✓Speak in general, positive terms
- ✓Frame it as something that keeps them feeling good
- ✓Lead by example — let them see you going every six months
- ✓Keep it casual. It's a normal part of growing up.
Avoid
- ✕Negative words: “hurt,” “needles,” “drill”
- ✕"It won't hurt" — mentioning pain at all plants the idea
- ✕Sharing your own dentist anxiety in front of them
- ✕Using the dentist as a threat or consequence
What happens at the first visit
Short, gentle, and mostly about getting acquainted. We'll check the teeth that have come in, look at the gums, and talk with you about brushing, fluoride, pacifier and thumb habits, and what to expect next.
No drills, no needles, no pressure. Just a chance for your child to meet us.
When children see you going, they follow your lead
The single best thing you can do for your kids' dental health is to model it yourself. When visiting the dentist every six months looks normal and easy to them, it becomes normal and easy for them too.
That's the whole trick.
7+
Orthodontic Evaluation
Age 7 is the time to check in on alignment
Why age 7
By age 7, enough permanent teeth have come in — and enough jaw growth has happened — for us to see how things are developing. Catching alignment issues now means we can often guide the way teeth come in, rather than correcting them later.
What an early evaluation can spot
Crowding, crossbites, overbites, underbites, thumb-sucking effects, and narrow jaws are easier to address while a child is still growing. Some conditions respond beautifully to early interceptive orthodontics — and can save your child from bigger procedures down the road.
Early doesn't mean braces now
Most 7-year-olds who get an ortho check won't need treatment right away. The evaluation is about timing — knowing whether to act early, wait and watch, or start planning for braces or Invisalign in a few years.
Know a family with kids ages 7–12?
If your friend's children are in this age range, tell them about us. A lot of parents don't realize how young an ortho evaluation can happen — and word of mouth is still how most of our families find us.
Ready When You Are
We love seeing your kids grow up.
From first teeth to first braces, River Street Dental is here for the whole journey. Schedule a visit whenever you're ready — no pressure, no judgment, and we'll keep things gentle.
Schedule an AppointmentOr give us a call — (715) 635-8282