A visit to a dentist is in most cases a nightmare for adults talking less of children. Children are scared of doctors as a result of many factors. The sight of a person in white uniform sends chills down the spine of most children. This article is meant to be a kind of guideline to help parents prepare their children for their very first and subsequent dental appointments.
A Little Dental Appointment Story
I remember long ago when I was watching one episode of the very popular show of the Bill Cosby show when Peter came to Rudy to hide because he was afraid of going to see a dentist. That is exactly how things can develop with your child if he/she does not have the confidence of a dental appointment.
The American Dental Association recommends that children start seeing a licensed dentist by the time they are one year old. While children don’t have the teeth development of an adult, there is a benefit to having teeth examined as soon as possible. By seeing a pediatric specialist and asking for his advice about a child’s dental issues, the primary teeth can be saved from a number of issues such as teeth decay.
Children Dental Units: Making Dental Visits Fun and Anxiety-Free
Reason For Early Child’s Dental Appointments
If your child is approaching this age and doesn’t have a primary tooth yet, schedule an appointment for a 2 or 3 month span leading up to that time. The dentist can help your child to develop healthy teeth and have a healthy smile. The goal is to teach your child how to maintain proper dental health and as such avoid problems later in the future.
If a primary tooth prematurely disappears, it can leave an area of the mouth unable to respond to the need for a tooth. If the decay goes too far, the infection can spread into the other teeth. Not only can this affect the overall health of your child’s mouth, but it can affect the health of the entire body. The oral health of the whole body can be impacted when an infected tooth is left untreated.
The dentist can help to ensure that there is no further damage to the teeth or the entire body if there are signs of infection. If you have questions about the care you should give your child’s teeth, ask the dentist. The dentist will be able to help to direct your child to the care that is best for him or her.
Prevention Better Than Cure
A primary tooth begins with a root that extends into the gums and the future teeth. The dentist will take x-rays of the area before the appointment to ensure there are no problems. If there are, those can be identified early and corrected. This can help avoid the need for dental extraction of the tooth or teeth. Once an area of the mouth is opened, the child will be able to see what a potential extraction might feel like. The dentist or oral hygienist should be able to explain to you what steps to follow for the procedure and to help your child prepare for the idea.
A dentist will work diligently to help your child to have a healthy smile. Your child will still have to take regular preventative steps to ensure that he or she has a healthy mouth and body. Regular brushing will be the key to keeping your child’s teeth healthy, and a schedule will be made that will ensure that your child goes to the dentist twice a year including the winter and summer months.
To keep our children’s teeth healthy, we need to make sure that we, as parents, are always present for their dental appointments. A child should be taught the importance of making these regular appointments. The child should also be taught the importance of daily dental care such as brushing their teeth after meals, flossing and using mouthwash after eating. The dentist or oral hygienist will work to teach your child about these things on every dental visit.
When Dental Extraction Is Needed
Sometimes along the way as your child grows into adulthood, there may be a need for a dental extraction in form of wisdom teeth removal. The dentist will also work to help them to understand what to expect after the procedure, what they can do to help prevent cavities and other problems and the types of after care products to use. I remember one time when a young boy had to go through a wisdom teeth removal procedure in a Houston oral surgery clinic, the surgeon were so professional that they prepared this kid for days lecturing him on things to expect and the stuff. The boy was mentally prepared for the removal even though he had been scared to death when he was told that one or two of his teeth will have to be removed by surgery.
After a procedure is completed, we can expect the child to feel some tenderness in the mouth but this can be helped with some pain medication and a prescription for some numbing drugs. In most cases if you have taken good care of your child’s teeth during their lifetime and the child has developed a habit to maintain a healthy dental routine, there is very little chance that the child will be having dental issues later on in life.
My Conclusion On Dental Appointments
The best way to help your child to avoid having a dental procedure is to follow your dentist’s advice about the care of teeth and mouth. This includes teaching your child to always brush their teeth after eating, floss regularly and use quality toothpaste. You should also teach them about the importance of visiting their dentist regularly. We will teach them that serious processes like a root canal or tooth extraction is a serious procedure that is best taken only when absolutely necessary.
We will also advise you about the benefits of getting your teeth adjusted. This will include how your child will be able to take care of their teeth at night before he goes to sleep and how to use a mouth rinse to help prevent tooth decay and cavities.
I hope that this my article about how to teach your child to be comfortable with dental appointments is useful!
Thanks for reading.
