Visiting a dentist, especially for the first time can be a scary experience for the child and parents. But, both the child and dentist may surprise you as it can be a very pleasant experience.
For a comfortable and enjoyable experience with the dentist always visit before your child starts having tooth pain. Ideally, you must visit the dentist before the child's first birthday. As a pediatric dentist, a crying child or a child in pain is always more difficult to manage for us than a child without one. Also, "Prevention is better than cure", prevention of cavities is very simple, and consumes less time and money than treatment.
Here are a few things your dentist will do on your child's first dental visit.
#1 - Routine dental Checkup
This will include a complete examination of teeth and gums. If the child is co-operative the dentist might even take a few x-rays to check for hidden cavities.
#2- Risk Assessment
This is probably the most important step. This will help the dentist not only to treat the present problem but also predict the future risk of getting cavities. This will include assessment of your child's feeding practices, parents cavity status.
"Systematic methods of caries detection, classification, and risk assessment, as well as prevention/risk management strategies, can help to reduce patient risk of developing advanced disease and may even arrest the disease process" – American Dental Association
#3 - Demo on brushing
The dentist will give a quick demonstration on how to brush and give tips on maintaining oral health. The dentist might also do a quick cleaning of your baby's mouth with a toothbrush and a fluoridated toothpaste.
#4 - Teething
Your dentist will address the issues related to teething and give tips on how to manage the same
#5 - Oral habits
Unwanted oral habits like finger, thumb sucking or mouth-breathing can lead to malocclusion. Addressing this will reduce the future need for orthodontic treatment. Modifications of habits and can not only prevent crooked teeth but also help the growth child's airway which holistically improves the overall health of your child.
Note that the dentist does not initiate any treatment in the first dental visit unless the child is in need of an emergency treatment.
Remember, it's always better to prevent it. Visit us before your child's first birthday and choose us for a seamless and enjoyable dental experience. Leave your comment or question in the comment section.
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Thanks for the detailed explanation. how do we manage kids who are scared?