Tips for Your Child’s First Dental Office Visit

So, your little tike is getting ready to visit the dentist for the first time? Think about all of those parents out there – what was your first visit like? If it was anything like most Americans in the yesteryear, it was a very traumatizing time. These days though, dentists are younger, and they understand that kids are extremely resilient, but very fragile emotionally. Fortunately, you can help your kids’ first dental visit be a good one, but you can’t just rely on the dentist to do it themselves. We’ll tell you some pointers that can help!

Talk About It

First thing you should do of course is practice good hygiene at home and talk about the good things that a dentist does. Don’t talk about them drilling into your face, and giving you a shot that lasts 10 minutes – anyone who knows that this happens on a regular basis knows they don’t want to see the dentist for much of these reasons. And don’t mention the forceps and pliers either that are used for extracting teeth. What you do want to point out is the good things – how the dentist can help keep your teeth clean, shiny, and healthy. And let your kids know they can fix certain problems they may have with their teeth, and leave it at that!

Oral Exercises

There are many oral exercises that can help your child says Yen Dentistry. You want to teach them how to open their mouth real wide, and teach them how to hold their mouth open for long periods of time if need be. Dentists often need this to be done, so letting your child know that you can make it fun by having contests can make them feel better when they do it at the dentist.

Read Books

There are many educational characters who have provided fun experiences and discussions about visiting the dentist. You don’t want your kid to fear the dentist (although we all do over time), but you do want them to know things that they can do. Read books, watch cartoon specials, and more to help your child prepare for their first dentist.

Don’t Take Them Tired

One big mistake that some people make, is taking their kids in the afternoon for a dentist appointment. Unfortunately, especially if your child is in school, the later they’re awake, the more tired they’ll be. This doesn’t make things any better, and can make the whole experience worse. Take your child to their first appointment in the morning. And more than anything, make the first appointment not be a very serious one. Just an analysis on your child’s teeth, a treatment option, and maybe a good rinsing can go a long way at the dentist office.

Conclusion

You’re allowed to be in the dental exam room with your child, and if you ever face a dentist that tells you that you can’t be, then you need to put them in their place. Your child is your baby, not theirs, and if you find the right dentist though, then you’ll know that they are as family oriented as you are!