How To Prepare Your Child For Their First Dental Visit
Even for an adult, a dental office can sometimes be a scary place. So, it should come as no surprise that a child’s first visit to a pediatric dentist can easily be nothing shy of terrifying. As most parents know, the dentist is there to help the child, not to hurt them. However, it’s up to the parent to teach this to their child. Here are just some of the things parents can do to prepare their children for their first dental visit.
Practice At Home
One of the best things to do is practice dental care at home. Most children are more comfortable with those practices and processes that they are already familiar with. If regular oral care and hygiene isn’t a priority in the home, the first time the child visits the dentist and has someone messing around with their mouth, they might get scared.
Make it a point to ensure your child is brushing twice a day. It might even be a good idea to make this a family routine so that your child can learn from a very early age that taking care of their mouth, teeth and gums is important, even as an adult.
Plan A Visit
It might even be a good idea to take the child along with you on a regular visit to the dentist. Many small children look to their parents for approval and guidance. If they see you sitting in the chair at a dentist office and you’re okay, the more likely they are to be confident that they too will be just fine.
When making your appointment, ask your provider if it’s okay to bring your little one along for a short visit. If you are having a procedure performed that prevents the child from remaining in the room, consider simply dropping by for a short visit where the child can walk around and get familiar.
Choose Wisely
The type of dentist you choose can also have a lot to do with how comfortable your child will be with their first dental experience. Dentist like Doctor Adam Shepherd create a Pediatric and Adult Dentistry environment that can make your child feel more comfortable.
In addition to being trained on pediatric dental care, dentist who cater to pediatric patients are also equipped with bedside manner skills designed to make children feel more comfortable and they generally have more playful and relaxed environments children enjoy.
When it comes to ensuring your child has a pleasant first dental experience, how well you work to prepare them is most important. Make sure you are planning wisely.
