How Should You Prepare Your Child For Their First Appointment With The Dentist?

As soon as your child’s first tooth appears in the mouth, Garran Dental recommends you book your child in for their first appointment. This is simply to ensure that the health of growing milk teeth is strong. Nobody likes their child’s smile to grow with poor oral health as this just negatively impacts their smile as they grow up. Has your child’s tooth begun to grow? We want to know about it.

However, don’t book your child in for an immediate appointment without telling them you’ve done it. This guide will illustrate the steps you need to take to insure your child is comfortable and relaxed when visiting the paediatric dentist. Children’s first thought when visiting the dentist is fear and anxiety. This is common. After all, we’ve all been through it once! This is because your child needs time to adapt to new surroundings and beginnings. Nobody benefits from an anxious and fearful child!

Here, we outlined the key considerations as a parent you must think about when preparing your child for their first appointment.

What To Do Before The Appointment

1. Prepare Your Child In Advance – When your child hears about visiting the paediatric dentist for the first time, he won’t understand what you’re talking about. As you tell them it’s to check their teeth, they’ll begin to feel scared. This is completely natural. With a soft tone and happy mood, tell them why looking after teeth is important. Use phrases which they can understand and remind them every day before their appointment so they can start to get comfortable when hearing about it.
2. Try Some Roleplay At Home – One possibility is to try and enact a typical appointment with the paediatric dentist. As the parent, you are the dentist to the patient (the child). You just need a toothbrush, a mirror to show them how healthy their teeth are and happy positive compliments about their teeth. This will help prepare them for a real appointment.
3. Keeping Brushing Teeth Fun – If your child enjoys brushing and looking after their teeth, then that’s a huge step. Use games or charts at home and provide treats with them if they reach a certain goal. They will continue the habit of brushing their teeth twice a day.

The Role Of A Paediatric Dentist

The paediatric dentist also plays a key role in making sure the appointment is comfortable, happy and relaxing for your child. The dental room can be converted into a kids-haven where they enter a room full of child-like equipment and surroundings. The paediatric dentist will also recommend that the child brings their favorite toy with them to keep them happy. During the appointment, the dentist will speak in a soft tone and use expressions and words that are understandable to the child. They will look to educate your child as to the importance of healthy teeth and what they need to do to keep their mouth healthy, clean and shiny.

In the event of unexpected situations, such as dental emergencies, being informed about a children’s dental emergency guide becomes invaluable. This guide equips parents with essential knowledge on how to handle urgent dental issues their child might face, offering step-by-step instructions and advice to ensure quick and appropriate actions are taken, further emphasizing the importance of fostering a positive dental experience from the outset.

If your child’s first tooth has grown and you’re looking to check in your child for an appointment, Garran Dental is ready for you and your child. Book your appointment with us now by clicking here!