Dental fear and anxiety are common feelings of young children. Experiences like routine vaccinations and blood tests, hospitalizations or going off to school for the first time can contribute to their worries. Medical procedures like past strep tests can certainly justify their concern about allowing anyone near their mouth. There are a number of things we suggest to help prepare them to see us for the first time. These ideas are also helpful toward rebuilding trust if they have had a prior negative experience.
Start Young
We recommend a baby’s first dental visit when they get their first tooth or one year of age, whichever comes first. If the child does not visit until they are older, their past life experiences can create more anxiety to work through in order for them to see us through a non-threatening lens.
Choose a Pediatric Dentist
The environment at myKIDSdds is designed for children, and the dentists’ additional pediatric training equips them with advanced communication and treatment skills.
Our doctors also have years of experience customizing their approach for each child.
Establish a Good Home Care Routine
Whether wiping a baby’s gums or brushing/flossing their teeth twice daily, it helps the children have experience with their mouths being cleaned.
Reduce Risk Factors for Getting Cavities
Nursing or bottle feeding through the night, sticky snacks and refined carbs that stay on their teeth are all risk factors for cavities. Limiting snacks to only twice a day versus grazing all day long keeps food from constantly creating an acidic environment in their mouth. The experience of having cavities treated these days is not typically uncomfortable, but the sights, sounds and steps involved can be anxiety producing for some children. Prioritize keeping their diet and mouths clean, and it will lessen the frequency of additional dental procedures.
Preventative Fluoride
A rice-grain size of fluoride toothpaste after age one and fluoride levels in drinking water at optimal levels can also help prevent tooth decay. It has been proven that an ideal amount of fluoridated water can reduce cavities on developing permanent teeth by 60 to 70 percent.
Role Playing
Practice daily with them lying down in your lap to play dentist, and then let them be the dentist checking and brushing your teeth. This will be the position for their exam and teeth cleaning so it is helpful to normalize the feeling.
Watching Videos or Reading Books
Daniel Tiger and Mr. Rogers on going to the dentist are great books/videos, and there are many others that you can preview to be sure it will be a positive influence on your child.
Schedule An Appointment
At myKIDSdds, we want to help you navigate the beginning of your child’s dental journey and then continue supporting you through any challenging ongoing visits in a positive, healthy way. We find that through our love and experience with children, we have many patients who transform from dread to delight when told it is time to have their dental checkup. That is what success looks like for us!
