It's All In The Preparation
How many of you out there like going to the dentist? Chances are not many of you do, but going to the dentist is something everyone, including children, needs to do. Regular visits to the dentist should be an important part of a child's health care routine. Let's look at what you need to know to help make your child's first dental visit a happy experience.
Children should begin seeing the dentist within six months of their first tooth or by their first birthday. By seeing your child early, the dentist can check any existing teeth for decay and look for signs of potential trouble. After the initial visit, your dentist will suggest a schedule of regular checkups. In most cases, it will probably be every six months.
You may want to take your child to your dentist. However, that may not be the best course of action. Not every dentist is good with children. To be safe, find a dentist who specializes in working with children. One type of dentist who works specifically with children is a pediatric dentist. A pediatric dentist goes through four years of dental school and then spends another two or three years learning about child development, growth and behavior as well as techniques for caring for children. They treat children from infancy through the teen years and are trained to detect problems early.
When choosing a dentist, ask family, friends and your child's doctor for recommendations. Check out the Web sites of the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry and the American Dental Association. Each of these has a membership directory.
After you have chosen a dentist, visit the office to determine the following:
o Where did the dentist go to school, and where was he trained? How often does he attend conferences or continuing education workshops?
o If the dentist is not a pediatric dentist, what percentage of his patients are children?
o What kind of approach does the dentist take to preventative dentistry?
o How does the dentist make children feel comfortable and cooperative?
o Is there someone in the office trained in CPR?
o Has the dentist ever been disciplined by the state dental board or had his license revoked or suspended?
When the time comes for your child's first trip to the dentist, try to make it a positive one. Children can sense a parent's anxiety level, so remain calm. Don't tell your child about any unpleasant dental visits you had or that the dentist may do something that hurts. Prepare them for what lies ahead but don't go into detail. Stress how important it is for a person to have healthy teeth and explain the dentist's role in that. Finally, don't make promises the dentist can't keep.
Between dental visits, you should help your child maintain good oral health. Buy him a small, child-size, soft-bristle toothbrush and brush his teeth twice a day, once in the morning and once at night. Concentrate on the back molars-this is where most cavities start. Since many children under age two tend to swallow anything that goes into their mouth, most dentists recommend parents skip toothpaste and just use water. Swallowing too much fluoride can lead to tooth discoloration in a child's permanent teeth and cause an upset stomach. When you finally do get to use toothpaste, use an amount the size of a pea. Replace your child's toothbrush every two or three months or sooner if it shows signs of wear.
It's only natural for a parent and child to be anxious on the first dental visit. If you have made the right choice, though, the dentist will understand this and do whatever he can to alleviate your anxiety. Maintaining good oral health will go a long way toward maintaining good overall health. Start your child out right with a fun trip to the dentist.
How many of you out there like going to the dentist? Chances are not many of you do, but going to the dentist is something everyone, including children, needs to do. Regular visits to the dentist should be an important part of a child's health care routine. Let's look at what you need to know to help make your child's first dental visit a happy experience.
Children should begin seeing the dentist within six months of their first tooth or by their first birthday. By seeing your child early, the dentist can check any existing teeth for decay and look for signs of potential trouble. After the initial visit, your dentist will suggest a schedule of regular checkups. In most cases, it will probably be every six months.
You may want to take your child to your dentist. However, that may not be the best course of action. Not every dentist is good with children. To be safe, find a dentist who specializes in working with children. One type of dentist who works specifically with children is a pediatric dentist. A pediatric dentist goes through four years of dental school and then spends another two or three years learning about child development, growth and behavior as well as techniques for caring for children. They treat children from infancy through the teen years and are trained to detect problems early.
When choosing a dentist, ask family, friends and your child's doctor for recommendations. Check out the Web sites of the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry and the American Dental Association. Each of these has a membership directory.
After you have chosen a dentist, visit the office to determine the following:
o Where did the dentist go to school, and where was he trained? How often does he attend conferences or continuing education workshops?
o If the dentist is not a pediatric dentist, what percentage of his patients are children?
o What kind of approach does the dentist take to preventative dentistry?
o How does the dentist make children feel comfortable and cooperative?
o Is there someone in the office trained in CPR?
o Has the dentist ever been disciplined by the state dental board or had his license revoked or suspended?
When the time comes for your child's first trip to the dentist, try to make it a positive one. Children can sense a parent's anxiety level, so remain calm. Don't tell your child about any unpleasant dental visits you had or that the dentist may do something that hurts. Prepare them for what lies ahead but don't go into detail. Stress how important it is for a person to have healthy teeth and explain the dentist's role in that. Finally, don't make promises the dentist can't keep.
Between dental visits, you should help your child maintain good oral health. Buy him a small, child-size, soft-bristle toothbrush and brush his teeth twice a day, once in the morning and once at night. Concentrate on the back molars-this is where most cavities start. Since many children under age two tend to swallow anything that goes into their mouth, most dentists recommend parents skip toothpaste and just use water. Swallowing too much fluoride can lead to tooth discoloration in a child's permanent teeth and cause an upset stomach. When you finally do get to use toothpaste, use an amount the size of a pea. Replace your child's toothbrush every two or three months or sooner if it shows signs of wear.
It's only natural for a parent and child to be anxious on the first dental visit. If you have made the right choice, though, the dentist will understand this and do whatever he can to alleviate your anxiety. Maintaining good oral health will go a long way toward maintaining good overall health. Start your child out right with a fun trip to the dentist.
