Dental check-ups are essential to everyone who would like to maintain good dental health. Regular check-ups are always advised, but the first dental check-up for your child is a huge event in their growth.
Babies should have their first dental check-up as soon as their teeth begin to grow. Therefore, a child of around 12 months or under is fit to undergo their first dental check-up.
Beginning this critical dental care routine from a young age is beneficial to your child’s dental health. Their oral growth and hygiene can be monitored, ensuring your baby’s dental health is flawless from childhood.
As you consider booking your baby son or daughter’s first dental appointment, here are tips that will guide you for your child’s first Dental Checkup.
Ensure your dentist is agreeable to seeing children.
Trusting your usual dental care provider to attend to your baby is a prudent choice, but you must determine whether they’re willing to manage children. It may be easier to reach out to your dentist to find out if it’s appropriate to book your little one in for an appointment.
Asking in advance is crucial as not all dentists may be at ease working with infants. In addition, working with children requires experience, especially if special services are needed, such as the oral health of children with ADHD.
If your dentist is unfamiliar with children, you might need to look for one who is conversant. You can ask for a referral from your current dentist.
A dentist with experience working with children is assured to make your visit worthwhile. If you prefer going to the same dentist, your child can make the transition when they come of age.
Ask questions before the dental visit.
For your child’s first dental visit, there are bound to be many questions about the process. In addition, having your child grow their first teeth is a new experience, especially for first-time mothers.
You may have several questions concerning methods of ensuring your child’s oral hygiene. These are best posed to your baby’s dentist.
A lot of light is quickly shed on how to promote and maintain your little one’s oral health. Furthermore, your doctor may share significant insight on red flags to look out for in your child’s oral health.
The information will let you know when to set your child’s general dental check-up as advised by your dental specialist. Moreover, you will be able to prepare your child for their first check-up and ensure it’s an uneventful.
Tag another person along to your child’s first check-up.
Whether it’s your spouse, your child’s older sibling or the nanny, having another person present makes your baby more comfortable. Babies relate to familiar faces. Therefore, they will be calm and offer minimal resistance to the dentist during their check-up if a familiar face is around.
Having an extra eye and ear is also essential in your little one’s first time oral check-up. There is so much information shared on the first dental visit. A second person may help absorb the information and ask questions.
Carry toys for the dental check-up.
Children get easily bored and as easily distracted. In such states, they become highly irritable.
To minimise the disturbances your baby can potentially cause, a few of their toys will go a long way. For example, the familiarity of a teddy bear or a baby rattle shall quickly calm your baby down.
If your baby starts to cry at the dentist’s, their toy may be a good consolation or a distraction. This will make your child’s dental visit a lot less stressful than it could be.
Be sure to ring your trusted dentist and schedule your child’s first dental check-up today. Since it’s their first time, make it count.
