Are you concerned about your child's oral health? Are you planning on starting a routine of regular visits to a pediatric dentist? Here are some ways to prepare both of you for the first trip:
Make sure the dentist is truly a pediatric dentist: Your personal dentist may offer to work on children, but the formal look of their office could give your child the wrong impression and scare them. A kid friendly pediatric dentist has surroundings suitable for their young clientele. The decor is geared towards children, with appropriate wall decor that creates a friendly environment. Many have video games or movies for children to enjoy while in the waiting room.
Watch your language: Before your first visit, avoid alarming your child with terms such as hurt, blood, doctor, pain or shot. Your pediatric dentist is skilled in dealing with apprehensive children and knows how to introduce these words in the least frightening way.
Don't tell them about your experiences: Avoid filling them in on the details of any difficult treatments you had when you were a child. Telling them about the discomfort you had during a filling will cause them to feel a great deal of anxiety during a similar procedure.
Role play ahead of time: You and your child can set up a pretend dentist office in your home. Use an extra toothbrush to count their teeth, and allow them to hold up a mirror to watch your movements. They can then become the dentist and use the toothbrush to clean the pretend teeth of their favorite doll or stuffed animal. Do not make any drilling noises or pretend to do anything else other than count their teeth. The whole purpose of the game is to get your child used to holding still while someone pokes around in their mouth.
Don't scold: Despite all your preparations, your child may whine or try to wiggle away from the dentist. Remember that fear is a normal reaction to strange situations and stay calm. Instead of reprimanding your child, let the dental professional, such as Dental Associates PC, decide how to handle the issue. They may ask you to move to a different spot in the room so that your child can see that you're present. They may want you to comfort your child by holding their hand. They've dealt with many children in the past and know exactly what to do to get everything under control as easily as possible.
Share12 January 2015
Halloween is a holiday that my children love, and telling them they can't go door-to-door collecting candy would break their hearts. This led me to allowing them to collect candy on the holiday, then rationing it out to them every day instead of letting them gobble it up in just a few days. I always thought this was better for them, but my dentist told me this could be the reason why their February dental check-ups were always their worst ones. Daily candy consumption was taking a toll on their teeth. I started a new tradition of letting them indulge for two days, then giving them the option to swap the rest with me in exchange for a new toy. They never pass on the opportunity for a new toy. I created this blog to encourage other parents find similar tactics to keep their children's teeth healthy after Halloween.