Age, Reason, and Experiences Regarding the First Dental Visit among Children Belonging to Lucknow

Abstract

Background: According to the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry guidelines, the first dental visit of a child is within 6 months of age. The need of such early visits is to help dentists to detect and treat incipient lesions, to educate parents about proper oral hygiene maintenance and the importance of diet and fluorides. Moreover, the visit helps the child to understand and adapt to the dental setup, thereby showing a positive dental attitude in future visits. Aim: The aim of this study was to find out the age at which children receive dental care for the first time and the reasons for such dental visits. Subjects and Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted at the Department of Pedodontics and Preventive Dentistry, wherein a questionnaire was provided to the parents of pediatric patients attending the outpatient department for their first dental visit, which included the sociodemographic details along with the questions related to their first dental visit, reason, and experiences regarding their visit. Results: On average, children reported for their first dental visit only after 5 years of age for the complaints such as pain and dental caries. Thus, indicating oral health education and preventive treatment program are yet to reach the general population. Conclusion: From the present study, it was evident that necessary awareness regarding the first dental visit is very low, with the subjects approaching the dentist after the establishment of ill oral health, thus demanding interception rather than prevention of diseases.