HOW TO PREPARE YOUR CHILD FOR A DENTAL APPOINTMENT

According to AAPD, the first dental visit should be done within 6 months of the  eruption of the first baby tooth or within 12 months of age, whichever is earlier. Children always have fear of the unknown. For a child visiting the dentist for the 1st time, the dental office, the surroundings and the procedures are all unknown. So it is quite natural for them to be scared. But, we do our level best to reduce the child’s anxiety. Follow some simple steps such as:

a) Parents should stay calm and cool

The most important thing is for the parents to stay relaxed. If they are anxious, they transfer their anxiety to the kids unknowingly. Also, avoid using terms like “shot” or “injection” in front of your kids.

b) Keep the first appointment short and sweet

Avoid lengthy and complex procedures at the first visit. Even co-operative kids tend to become restless if kept on the dental chair for too long. The first appointment is always for the child to get accustomed to the surroundings and get friendly with the dentist. it is better to do only examination at the 1st visit and give them oral hygiene instructions. If the child is brave enough, we may proceed to taking X rays or doing simple procedures like scaling (cleaning) and polishing. All long duration treatments are kept for the subsequent visits.

c) Allow the child to bring along his/her favourite toy. This helps the child to feel more relaxed and secure.

d) If possible, show them how dental treatment is being carried out in an adult and an older sibling. This is called “modelling” and helps them to imitate the positive behavior shown by the parents/older siblings.