The big day has come (ideally when you see the first tooth erupting) for your child to visit the dentist.

What To Expect?

The first visit at the dental office should be a light-hearted and fun experience for the youngster. This is important as we are far past the days of holding children down in an attempt to keep their teeth healthy. It’s not fun for anyone… In a perfect world it is best to get radiographs or x-rays of all the teeth so we can predict any future issues or just make sure everything is coming in like it should be. A quick, but thorough, peak into the mouth to confirm the findings of the X-rays and check for cavities should happen next. Then if Jack or Jill are willing and cooperative, finish everything off with a cleaning!

How You Can Help?

A positive outlook on dental visits can go a long way when talking about the dentist with your children. We understand that in the past you may have had an unfavorable/scary experience at the dentist. Maybe you had to have a big cavity filled and before the procedure, that shot hurt. One of the worst things you can do is talk about the S Word (Shot) or N word (Needle) with your kids. The first exam will most likely not need any anesthetic anyway, so no need to get Jack or Jill all rattled before! If Jack or Jill are expecting the S Word they’re obviously going to be afraid and if they’re expecting to hurt, it’ll probably hurt more than it actually does. Expectations of something not too painful hyped up by parents can fester into a big problem and make it hard for us to help your child out.

Sometimes if I notice an apprehensive child I warn them that they might feel my fingernail that I forgot to clip on the inside of their cheek! Absolutely befuddling to Jack or Jill and they have no issues at all.

Newer Trends in Dentistry for Children:

Some cavities that children have do not even need to local anesthetic (S Word) to take care of! All the more reason to not mention it.

You may have visited the dentist with your child already and things just didn’t go as well as you or the dentist would have liked. As scary as it may seem, sometimes Jack and Jill do a whole lot better and can relax more without the parent in the room. I can’t explain why, but it’s always an option to try and want to reassure you that we will take great care of Jack or Jill!

Summary:

Expectations of pain or fun at the dentists office can go a long way in the mind of a youngster. Use it to everybody’s advantage as best as you can. Help us help you! It is an absolute treat to have a child excited to come see us.

If you have any questions feel free to reach out to me or your current dentist for answers!

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