Tips for the first trip…
Welcome to Paediatric Dentistry. It’s your friendly dentist here again. Children are so sweet without any argument. They are little flowers who consider the dentists as scary monsters. I totally agree. How can we blame them for thinking like that? Visiting the dentist is a scary experience for children, of course. Today, I will explain Dos and Not Dos when you plan your toddler’s first dental visit.
When should you bring your baby for their first dental visit?
Most parents ignore their child’s baby teeth, thinking they won’t affect him since milk teeth will exfoliate after some time. So, parents always wait until the baby gets some dental problem to visit their dentist. But the most important thing you should remember is that your child’s baby teeth will determine the map of their elder (permanent) teeth, thereby affecting their future smile. Smile is the key to pleasing aesthetics, self-esteem, and a better personality.
The Academy of Pediatric Dentistry recommends that a child visit the dentist when the first tooth appears or no later than their first birthday.
You might wonder, “But why should I take him to the dentist so early if he has no problem at all?’’
Your dentist can give you a lot of information about,
i) Infant feeding practices
- Which foods and drinks cause cavities.
ii) Mouth cleaning
- What kind of toothpaste and toothbrush to use
- Brushing and flossing techniques
iii) Teething significantly, how to relieve teething discomfort
iv) How to control problematic habits such as pacifier and finger-sucking habits, most commonly, thumb-sucking habits.
v) Allows the child to develop a friendly relationship with the dentist and get used to the dental office.
Before you take your toddler to the dentist,
Never Do!
#1 Never frighten the child towards dentists.
“Dr. Uncle will drill your teeth if you don’t clean your teeth. So brush them.”
Never make your child brush their teeth by frightening them about the dentist. It will make the situation worse in the future. You will never be able to expect any cooperation from the child at the dentist after that.
Instead, you can discuss with your child why it’s so important to take care of the mouth and how the dentist can help him have a healthy mouth.
#2 Avoid surprises
Showing up to a strange place like a dental clinic, with loud, scary noises and “a scary person” covered with a garment from head to toe all of a sudden will be a nasty surprise to your child. It’s always essential to prepare the child before visiting the dentist’s office once you have an appointment scheduled.
At the same time, we wouldn’t recommend telling a kid they’re going to the dentist months in advance. Kids are excellent story builders with a lot of imagination. They outsmart us when it comes to stories. There’s a possibility of dreaming up some scary scenarios when they have a lot of time to think about it. So, we always recommend having a little chat about the visit a few days before going to the dentist for the first time or any time. Don’t go into too much detail. Tell them very briefly and simply what to expect at the dentist using words they can understand.
#3 Never ignore their questions
Leaving children in doubt is not a good idea at all. Always try to answer every question creatively before they start to imagine their own unrealistic story. Those stories will break their trust in you once they realize the real situation.
#4 Never mention the words like “pain" or “shot."
No one would like to experience pain. Children always roll into their parents whenever they see a vaccine. We practice special distracting techniques to hide the injection from the child. So if you have mentioned anything about a shot before, they develop anxiety. It would be difficult to distract him because he suspects each piece of dental equipment to be an injection.
What you should Do
#1 Tell-Show-Do
The best way to prepare a child for the dentist is to ‘tell, show and do.’
Tell: Start by spending some time telling your child about the dentist and why it’s essential to visit.
Show: Demonstrate what the dentist does by reading a children’s book and explain why it’s not scary. Children learn best when they are having fun. You can practice giving their stuffed animal a checkup with a toy mirror. You can also show them cartoons and videos such as,
- Show Me Your Smile! A Visit to the Dentist (Dora the Explorer)
- Dentist Trip (Peppa Pig)
- Elmo Visits the Dentist by P.J. Shaw
- Daniel tiger- Daniel at the dentist
Do: Bring your child on a quick field trip to the dentist and let them see and touch the equipment before their first visit.
#2 Play Pretend
You can play pretend dentist at home before visiting the dentist. You can pretend to count their teeth, brush, and floss while explaining why it’s important to do so. Then switch your roles. Allow the baby to experience by being his patient.
#3 Positive Reinforcement
Little children always like to get praised. Why not? Right? Even we, the adults, always like appreciation. They always love to do the things for which they get praised again and again.
I always bring little toys and smiley stickers whenever I visit the pediatric clinic. This is a tried and trusted practice by me too. Praise and positive reinforcement help kids to care for their teeth. Rewarding healthy habits and your first dental visit with admiration, a toy, smiley stickers, and big hugs make the process less frightening for kids.
#4 Bring their favorite toy or a book to the clinic.
Most children are uncooperative in their first dental visit. Dentists always try to calm them during the examination in every possible way. However, it’s always better to have their favorite toy or a book with you to distract them.
Would you mind keeping in mind that your baby’s oral health is so important as his general health? Let’s bring our kids a happy smile.
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