As a parent, you should begin taking your child to a dentist at an early age. Dentists recommend bringing toddlers for an examination when they have primary teeth. An early examination from a dentist can find major problems that require treatment, including deformities of the mouth’s palate or gums. Parents will want to make a toddler’s first trip to the dentist enjoyable. Use these tips to create a great experience for your child’s dental examinations.
Choose a Fun Toothbrush
While a parent should clean her baby’s teeth with a soft cloth, a toddler can brush his teeth on his own. Make brushing fun by allowing a toddler to choose his own toothbrush at a drugstore. Manufacturers make special toothbrushes for children that will have cute designs such as animals or cartoon characters.
Make Positive Comments about the Dentist
When you talk to a toddler about the dentist, make positive comments so that the child isn’t fearful about the experience. Make sure that your older children also remain positive when they are talking to a sibling. Don’t discuss any difficult procedures such as a root canal that you have had in the past because toddlers often overhear something that makes them fearful.
Bring a Toddler to Your Dental Appointments
To help your toddler become accustomed to a dental facility, bring your son along to your routine appointments that include X-rays and cleanings. This helps a toddler to understand the strange examination chairs, bright lights and unusual equipment that is located in the dentist’s office. During these trips, your toddler can meet the office staff, dental hygienist and dentist, making his first visit less traumatic.
Have All of the Paperwork in Place
Toddlers have short attention spans, so you should make a visit to the dentist as fast as possible. Make sure to have all of the insurance paperwork in place, and have your child’s pediatrician fax his medical documents beforehand. With this preparation, you can enter the examination room immediately so that the dentist can look at your child’s teeth.
Choose the Right Time for an Appointment
If your toddler is in a good mood early in the morning, then schedule his dental examination as the dentist’s office is opening. Alternatively, when your child isn’t happy until later in the day, schedule your son’s first dental appointment in the afternoon.
Make a child’s first dental visit special by planning an activity after the event. You might take your toddler to a movie or the park to reward him for his excellent behavior at the dentist’s office. Visiting a dentist like A-Dental Center or someone similar doesn’t have to be traumatic for your child. By following the tips listed here you will be able to help your little one adapt and truly enjoy the experience.