Your Baby's First Tooth Is Our Signal to Meet.
The American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry recommends a child's first dental visit by their first birthday, or within six months of the first tooth appearing. That recommendation exists because problems in baby teeth grow fast, and because the habits that shape a lifetime of dental health start earlier than most parents expect.
Wheeler Pediatric Dentistry has been welcoming the youngest patients in The Woodlands since 2004. A first visit with us is not a big production. It is a lap exam, a conversation with Dr. Jon, and the beginning of a relationship that can last your child's entire childhood.
Why Age One?
Baby teeth matter more than they are given credit for. They hold space for permanent teeth, guide jaw development, and make it possible for children to eat and speak properly. Decay in a baby tooth does not just affect that tooth — it can affect the permanent tooth developing underneath it.
Starting dental visits early also means Dr. Jon can guide you on diet, pacifier use, teething, fluoride, and home care before problems develop, not after. Parents who start early spend less on their children's dental care overall. The first visit is an investment, not just a checkup.
Age 1
First dental visit recommendation
American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry guideline, or within six months of the first tooth, whichever comes first.
Wheeler Pediatric Dentistry
Welcoming the youngest patients in The Woodlands since 2004.
What the First Visit Looks Like
For infants and young toddlers, the first visit is a lap exam. Your baby sits in your lap facing you, then leans back gently so Dr. Jon can examine the teeth and gums. You are part of the exam. There is nothing to brace for.
You hold your baby
Your baby sits in your lap facing you throughout the entire exam. Parents are chairside for every visit — including the very first one.
Dr. Jon examines and advises
Dr. Jon checks for early signs of decay, assesses the development of the teeth and bite, and identifies any tongue or lip ties. He answers every question you have.
You leave with a plan
The visit typically takes less than 30 minutes and ends with your child still in your arms — and you with specific, practical guidance for home care.
"You do not wait in the lobby at Wheeler PD. Parents are chairside for every visit, including the very first one."
Before the First Tooth:
What You Can Do
Good oral care starts before the first tooth appears. These small habits build the foundation for everything that comes later. Dr. Jon will walk you through all of this at your first visit and give you specific guidance based on your child's development and feeding habits.
Before the first tooth
Wipe your baby's gums with a clean, damp cloth after every feeding.
At the first tooth
Switch to a soft infant toothbrush and a grain-of-rice-sized amount of fluoride toothpaste.
At the first birthday
Schedule your baby's first dental visit at Wheeler Pediatric Dentistry.
Ongoing
Dr. Jon will give you personalized guidance based on your child's development and feeding habits at every visit.
Questions parents ask us every day.
The families who start at Wheeler in year one tell us, years later, that dental visits have never been a problem.
That track record starts with one simple decision: come in by the first birthday. Call us to schedule your baby's first visit. We are ready for them.