In short: The first appointment should be early — once the first teeth are through, not when something hurts. Usually nothing is treated at that visit: your child looks around, we count the teeth, and that is it. What matters less is what we do than what you say beforehand. German statutory insurance covers early-detection examinations from the first tooth.
Whether a child grows up willing to see a dentist is usually decided on the first visit — and often before that, in the car, with the sentence "there's nothing to be scared of".
When the first appointment should be
Earlier than most people think: as soon as the first teeth have come through, and by the first birthday at the latest. There are two reasons. First, decay can be spotted as it begins, and at that stage it can still be stopped without drilling. Second, and more important, your child gets to know the practice while nothing hurts. A child whose first visit involves pain links dentist with pain — and that link often lasts decades.
What happens at the first visit
Very little, and that is deliberate. Your child can sit on your lap, move the chair up and down, hold the mirror. We count the teeth, take a quick look and praise. Nothing is treated, nothing is drilled and nobody is held still. If your child will not open their mouth, we try again next time — that is not a failure, it is the normal course.
The phrases parents should leave out
- "It won't hurt." The word hurt is now in the room. Say what will happen instead: "The dentist is going to look at your teeth and count them."
- "Be brave." Bravery is only needed in danger. Children hear the danger, not the encouragement.
- "If you're good, you get a treat." A reward promised in advance signals that something unpleasant is coming.
- Your own stories. Your bad experience from 1994 does not belong in the waiting room. Children measurably take on their parents' dental anxiety — it is the best-documented risk factor there is.
- Threats involving the dentist ("if you don't brush, you'll need the drill"). That makes us the punishment.
What helps: talk about it normally, like an appointment at the hairdresser. And go yourself. A child who sees their mother relaxed in the chair needs no explanation.
Milk teeth are not disposable
The most common misconception: they fall out anyway. Milk teeth hold the space for the permanent teeth — lose one too early and the neighbours drift in, leaving no room for the successor. Decay in a milk tooth can also affect the permanent tooth developing beneath it, and pain when chewing leads to one-sided eating. A decayed milk tooth gets treated, not watched.
What genuinely prevents decay
- Brushing from the first tooth, twice daily, with an age-appropriate fluoride toothpaste. Parents should brush again afterwards until school age — young children cannot yet perform the movement properly.
- No sweetened drinks in a bottle, and no bottle at bedtime. Sucking on juice or tea overnight is the most common cause of early childhood decay.
- Fluoride varnish and sealing of the back teeth once the permanent ones come through. The fissures there are too deep for any brush to reach.
- Regular check-ups, even when nothing hurts. Early decay is painless — which is exactly when it can still be stopped without drilling.
What German insurance covers
Children with statutory insurance are entitled to early-detection examinations from the first tooth, and later to regular individual prophylaxis — examination, oral hygiene advice, fluoridation and sealing of the permanent back teeth. These are free to you. They are the best deal in the entire German dental system, and the most frequently unused.
We treat in German, Spanish, English and Portuguese. For families that means your child does not have to translate for you, and you do not have to translate for the grandparents.
Frequently asked questions
From what age should we first come?
As soon as the first teeth are through, and by the first birthday at the latest. The first appointment is not about treatment, it is about getting familiar.
My child won't open their mouth — now what?
Then we do nothing. We continue at the next appointment. Forced treatment in early childhood is the fastest route to lifelong dental anxiety.
Should I come into the treatment room?
Yes, always with small children. Sit calmly nearby and let us do the talking — children listen better when only one person speaks.
Does a decayed milk tooth really need treating?
Yes. It holds the space for the permanent tooth, and the inflammation can reach the tooth bud beneath it. Waiting costs more later than treating now.
Which toothpaste for which age?
Fluoride content and amount depend on age and on whether your child still swallows. We will tell you exactly how much belongs on the brush at the appointment.
This article provides general information and does not replace a dental examination. Medically reviewed by Dr. F. J. Rodríguez Ruíz, MSc., dentist at A+ Dental, Düsseldorf-Oberkassel.