6 months checkup
The 6-month checkup: what to expect and what to ask
A milestone visit in more than the ceremonial sense — solids are usually underway and the first teeth may be arriving.
It is also the visit where the first dental conversation should happen, which surprises most people.
What this visit usually covers
- Growth, physical exam, and immunisations.
- Development: sitting with support, transferring objects, babbling, responding to their name.
- How solids are going, and iron intake in particular.
- Teeth: whether any have arrived, and how to care for them.
Worth asking
Take this in with you. The appointment moves faster than you expect, and the specific question gets a specific answer.
- Is the iron intake where it should be now that milk is not the whole diet?
- When should the first dental visit happen? The usual answer is by the first birthday or within six months of the first tooth — earlier than most people plan for.
- Should we be using fluoride toothpaste, and how much?
- Any concern about how much or how little she is taking from solids — this is the age worry usually starts.
Where this comes from
Schedules vary by practice and by country, and yours may cover more or less than this. It is a companion for the appointment, not a substitute for it — the person in the room can see your child, and this page can't.