By now, most people are aware of the supreme importance of having a family doctor, assuming they have a family. A family doctor, over time, becomes a part of the family, with a role that rivals mom's and dad's in importance. It used to be that the relationship of the doctor to the family was thought of as being relatively unimportant, so long as the doctor's function was in good working order. That is, how little Jane felt about Dr. X didn't matter much so long as Dr. X could effectively give little Jane her flu shots and so forth. In a sense, of course, the same holds true today. If you had to choose between a botched flu shot and grumbling doctor you'd probably go with the grumbling doctor. But once this basic point is made, the personality of the family doctor, and, most importantly, the way the personality of the family doctor mingles with the personalities of the family, looms large indeed.
    There's nothing better, when sick, than going to a doctor you actually have friendly relations with, jumping up on that bed with its paper sheet, and feeling the doctor's warm, knowing hand on your forehead. It's just one of the supremely cozy moments in life. You feel safe, you have no idea what's wrong with you but now you're in a quiet clean place simply buzzing with people who do, and, best of all, this is not a complete stranger that's poking and prodding you, it's Dr. X, you've known him from when you were a kid. Let's change it from Dr. X to Dr. Lecter, as Dr. X is too creepy.
    Also, aside from the fact that you're pals with Dr. Lecter, he's also got miles and miles of information on you-every twinge of pain, every whiff of nausea, etc., you've ever experienced, Dr. Lecter experienced with you, he knows what's going on with your body. This not only saves families stress, worry, and time, it saves them money as well, as Dr. Lecter is more likely to see right to the heart of a problem instead of having to fumble around getting to know things for the first time. When you go to see a new doctor, three-fourths of your money is wasted on getting-to-know-you garbage, whereas Dr. Lecter, tried and true, applies all of your money to whatever it is you want fixed.
    Alright, we finally come to the point. Everything, and I mean everything, that you love in a family doctor, you'll love in a family dentist as well. Your teeth, after all, are a hugely important part of you, and you want more than professionalism when it comes to their maintenance-you want history, deep history, to play a part. You want to know your family dentist as well as you know your family doctor, and you want to be known by him in the same friendly fashion. And yet, owing to the fact that we get our teeth worked on less than our bodies (there's no dental equivalent of flu season, thank goodness), we rarely think of a family dentist like we do a family doctor. For some people the very name "family dentist" rolls strangely off the tongue.
 Let me insist again that this should not be the case. We should start speaking of our family doctor and our family dentist in the same breath. What our family doctor does, our family dentist does. We couldn't go on without our family doctor? Life without our family dentist would leave a similar void. When it comes to the family doctor, we wouldn't think of settling for anything less than the best? Well, neither shall we settle for second-rate dentistry.
When considering a family dentist, therefore, you should keep in mind the following (just as you do when considering a family doctor): How family-friendly is this person? Knowing my kids, will they feel comfortable with him? How do I feel about him? Do I feel comfortable with him? And so on.
The family dentist plays a role that, if not quite so crucial as the family doctor's, is nevertheless of indescribable importance. 

When you're pregnant, obviously, you're not just looking out for Number One anymore. Or, even if you are, you're looking out for her harder than you ever have before. After all, if you're not happy, it's likely that your baby isn't either-and so you take extra precautions with nearly everything you do, whether it be walking, eating, exercising, whatever. If you smoke, you cut back or quit, or you should. Suddenly, the things you put into your body become very, very important. Caffeine, sugar, fat, how much fat, what kind, etc. etc. etc.-all of it gets looked at more closely than ever before.
    And the same kind of caution is applied to things a little less ordinary, but ordinary all the same. Doctor's and dentist's visits, for example. Now, your doctor is one thing, your dentist another. Your doctor is most likely the person you go to see when dealing with the pregnancy directly or indirectly. Your doctor is going to know all the latest details about your condition. Your dentist, on the other hand, is more of a specialist in that he deals with only one part of you-your mouth. But your dentist may take a few extra precautious when dealing with the pregnant you as well.
    The details of those precautions, of course, will be worked out between you and your dentist. He may confer with your doctor before seeing you, he may want to look a little more closely at your medical history than he would otherwise. But you shouldn't be too concerned. Visiting the dentist while pregnant isn't all that different from what you're used to.
    In the first stages of pregnancy, that tender time, you'll want to avoid most really rigorous things, of course, whether it be exercise or dentistry or whatever. Again, you'll want to confer with your doctor and your dentist about how soon you can have, say, a cavity filled once you're pregnant. It may be that your doctor or dentist will have you take certain antibiotics to protect and your child against possible infections. X-rays and such will be handled differently. But these differences aren't going to be of the upsetting or intrusive sort.
    The key thing to remember when considering pregnancy and dental work is simply that you're caring for two people now. Therefore, when you prepare for the dental work, have it done, and go home to heal afterwards, you should make every possible attempt to ease your own discomfort and suffering and thus that of the person inside you. So, confer with your dentist closely about the details of recovery, even when recovering from something as simple as a single, shallow filling. Keep in mind that apparently simple things take on a more serious tone when pregnancy comes into the equation. Keep in mind, furthermore, that if you can feel pain, discomfort, etc., it's likely that your baby can as well. Therefore, the more time you take to heal after having a cavity filled, the better off the both of you will be.
    These simple tips will be expanded upon by your dentist and doctor. But you should do research on your own, as well. The Internet is teeming with information about pregnancy, its special requirements and so on. There are now single stop websites where you can type something like "dentist, pregnancy" and see instantly an entire host of articles spring up for your enlightenment. There are also lots of books out there that deal intimately and complexly with these intimate and complex issues.
    You should rest easy about pregnancy and dental issues. Dentistry has come a long way since the days of whiskey and pliers, and every question you have has been asked and answered by responsible dentists and doctors a hundred, a thousand times over. Combine the fruits of their research with a little research of your own, and you should know all that you need to know and more about having dental work done while pregnant.

Healthy teeth start at a young age. Taking your children to the dentist is a very important part of having healthy teeth. When do you take children to the dentist?

Many times children do not go to the dentist until there is a problem. This is usually around three to five years old. By this time, there are already caveties that cause pain or at least are requiring fillings.

The best time to start your children on a good oral health care habit is much younger than people think. Start them sucking on a toothbrush as soon as they will not choke on it. And, get them to the dentist at a year old.

There are many reasons to start taking your child to the dentist at this age. Here are the benefits of taking your children in to the dentist at an early age.

Comfort: Children become comfortable to the idea of seeing a dentist when they go and are used to it. Also, if they go at an early age and the check up goes well, then there is no pain and a child is more likely to return again with a good idea in their head about the dentist. Yes, they do remember. It is a positive pattern that is in their head. Remember children retain a great deal of information at a younger age.

Early detection: Getting into the dentist early will make it so that if your dentist does happen to see any problems, they will be able to catch them while they are still simple and quick to fix.

Proper formation: Your children have baby teeth, and yes they do fall out. However, those teeth need to create the healthy spacing for the proper growth of the new teeth. If the teeth in your children's mouth get cavities and fall out, then it will cause problems with the correct growth of the teeth in the future. This will then be a reason for crooked teeth and then much more expensive orthodontic work. The dentist can put in a space maintainer or retainer but that does not make for the perfect natural look that the teeth should have. It is also hard to have a small child have those fixtures in their mouth.

Fun: Ok, I know a dentist is not fun. However with the children's emotional comfort in mind, many dentists now offer an environment that is targeted to the comfort and trust building techniques for children. This is helpful because once a positive habit is build it will create an easier process to taking your children to the dentist. The dentist and their assistants do tend to include some fun things and a more colorful environment then when we were kids.

When you go into the visit, there are things that you can expect:

    You can go with your young child into the room for the visit. Here is a hint though, with an older child, it may go better if you are out of the room.
    A basic exam will happen. This means looking at the teeth, counting the teeth, and checking for any decay on the teeth.
    A gum exam will be done. This is just basic and will be a simple look to make sure there is no infection or problems.
    Some advice on proper care will be offered from the dentist and assistant.
    If there is a need for additional fluoride etc, the dentist will let you know.
    There will also be a future appointment for every six months set up.
    Also there will likely be a discussion on proper brushing and flossing, and a healthy diet that is rich in calcium.

The best way to get your child or children started on a healthy oral hygiene plan is to start the pattern early. Start brushing and flossing as early as possible. Start your dentist appointments as early as one year. Eat a healthy diet. Finally create comfort and positive patterns by being a good example of good oral hygiene.