I see a lot of families and little fellas in my office and it’s true that every one is a little bit different. Some kids scream, other kids bite, then there are the kids that won’t even open their mouths… they are by far my most challenging patients.
Usually it’s because they don’t really know what to expect at the dentist and it’s pretty scary for them. I mean, I would be scared, too. If a big guy’s looming over me and demanding that I open my mouth for unknown reasons, well, you can be certain that I’m not going to comply.
Luckily, there are some things you can do as the parents of first-timers to get them ready for their initial dental visit.
So, you’re bringing your child to the dentist for the first time.
Of course you want it to go well, but they have absolutely no way to begin to understand what’s in store. This might be why so many adults fear the dentist: childhood trauma from an era when no one minded to force a kid to let a stranger stick a drill in their mouth. ..ahem…
Anyway. I saw a great piece about getting your kid ready for their very first dental visit on the American Dental Association’s blog. It’s full of great tips for both you and your little one, as well as information on when you should bring them in the first time (spoiler alert: that’s between the appearance of the first tooth and their first birthday, but don’t beat yourself up if you didn’t know — just bring that kiddo in as soon as possible).
Source: https://www.mouthhealthy.org/en/babies-and-kids/first-dental-visit
