You may not know it when you look at your baby, but all of her teeth are already present. Each of them are just waiting for their time to erupt. You can start her on the road to a healthy smile by wiping her gums every day with a clean piece of gauze, and by making sure that she gets to the dentist for her appointments. Your child’s first trip to the dentist should be within six months of her first tooth, and before her first birthday. Starting her dental appointments at an early age will take some of the mystery and fear out of visiting the dentist. Ideally, you should not wait until she has a toothache or some other dental emergency for her first visit.
But if that first visit does take place when she is older, there are things that you can do to make sure that the trip is not traumatic for her, you or the dentist! Talk to the dentist about bringing your child in for a pre-visit. That way, she can meet the dentist and his staff, see the office and ask any questions that she may have. A visit to the library can provide you and your child with books and video’s about visiting the dentist. Don’t use a trip to the dentist as a threat of a punishment.
It will also help if you don’t tell your child that the dental visit “won’t hurt”. Instead, tell her that the dentist will clean her teeth and help her have a bright, beautiful smile. When they day arrives, you should make sure that you schedule the appointment for early in the morning, or right after your child has had her nap. If she still seems a little anxious, why not let her bring a small toy, stuffed animal or favorite blanket along. You can also talk with the dentist about staying in the exam room with your child if it will make her feel better.
If you are looking for a dentist for your family, why not make time to visit our dentist, Dr. Jeffrey Lowry at Jeffrey A Lowry DDS in Riverside, California? If you would like to make an appointment for your child or another member of your family, call 951-263-7001 today. We look forward to meeting you soon!