Make Your Child's First Dental Trip Painless

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A Close Look At Cavities
The American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry recommends that a child's first dental visit occur shortly after the first tooth pushes it's way into the mouth, usually between the ages of six and twelve months. Though many general practitioners will happily treat your child, another option is a pediatric dentist who specializes in dentistry for kids and adolescents through the age of 18.

The first visit will generally familiarize child and family with the dentist and office, but proper preparation for this visit begins long before the actual day of the appointment. Indeed, your attitude directly influences your child's behavior. A parent who is anxious about dentistry will often unknowingly transmit that fear to the child, creating a phobia of the dentist before the actual visit and negative behavior at the appointment.

Parents can use this ability to influence to their advantage by describing the dentist as a friendly tooth-counter and smile cleaner and by helping children to keep their teeth healthy and bright. It is good to prepare your child for what to expect, but avoid words like "drill" or "shot," which might invoke unnecessary fear. The book, Open Wide: Tooth School Inside by Laurie Keller is a wonderful, kid-friendly resource for families.

To help reduce the anxiety in the waiting room, ask the dental office to send you the necessary paperwork early and fill it out before the day of your appointment. Some offices will even encourage bringing your child in for a pre-visit tour so he or she will be more comfortable on the return visit.

Be prepared to accompany your child into the dental room during the first visit, which normally consists of an examination of your child's teeth and education for you. The dentist will discuss developmental expectations, nutrition and feeding, oral hygiene, prevention of cavities, fluoride recommendations, trauma prevention, habit counseling and behavior modeling for future visits.

When a child is younger than three, he or she can sit on your lap to receive treatment. Children older than three—though this may come as a surprise to some parents—generally behave better and have a more positive experience when they are treated by the dentist on their own. Don't be alarmed by a few tears. Crying is a normal reaction to new experiences and normally goes away after the dentist and child develops a rapport.

Trust develops through patient and doctor communication, while the technique "tell-show-do" helps guide behavior. First, the dentist tells the child what to expect, then performs a short demonstration, followed by the dentist performing the action on the child. Most dentists reward children for good behavior, which reinforces their actions and establishes an expected pattern of behavior for future appointments. In the end, not only will your child receive excellent dental care that is specialized to their age and personality, but early cooperation on the part of the family will contribute to a positive and painless experience for everyone involved.

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