Did you know your child should see the dentist for their first appointment as soon as they get their first tooth in? That’s right! Even your toddler should be seeing a Fort Worth Pediatric dentist on a regular basis to ensure good oral health.
The good news about taking them at such a young age is that they’ll become familiar with visiting the pediatric dentist and won’t have as much fear or anxiety about it when older. However, it’s never too late to start taking your child to the dentist. If they have at least one tooth and haven’t made a visit yet, then there’s no better time than now.
Are you and your child preparing for their first appointment with a dentist for kids in Fort Worth? There are a few ways to help ease their mind and make the visit an enjoyable one!
Continue reading below for more information on how to help prepare your little one for their first appointment with a children’s dentist in Fort Worth.
Teach Them the Importance of Good Oral Health
If your child doesn’t understand why you’re making them do something, then it could cause them to resist. Instead, do your best to teach your child about all the reasons why seeing a dentist is so important. Help them learn about the importance of good oral health and hygiene.
What can happen to your teeth and gums if you don’t take good care of them?
It could even be a great idea to show them pictures of decayed teeth and cavities. Without clean and healthy teeth, they won’t be able to eat all their favorite foods.
Read Them a Character Book About Visiting the Dentist
Sometimes, it helps to explain a situation to a little one when they see their favorite characters acting the part. Luckily, there are many different character books about visiting the dentist. You may be able to find a book about the dentist starring one of their favorite TV characters.
If not, there are plenty of other children’s books about the dentist with loveable characters in it they can get to know. When they see these characters preparing for and visiting the dentist, they’ll feel more confident to do so themselves.
Use Positive Language When Explaining the Appointment
When you do start your conversation with your child about their first dentist appointment, make sure to use positive language. Depending on your child’s age, you may want to avoid getting too technical with the details about the appointment, which may confuse them leading to more anxiety.
You can, however, let them know that the dentist is someone who helps keep their teeth clean and healthy. Try to focus on all the good a dentist does. Once you arrive at the appointment, your kid’s dentist in Fort Worth will show your child the tool and dental equipment.
They’ll then explain what each one does to show your little one that they’re not so scary after all.
Tell Them They’re Allowed to Bring a Favorite Toy
One way children find comfort in the dentist visit is by bringing one of their favorite stuffed toys with them. Be sure to let your child know they’re allowed to bring a favorite toy with them to the appointment to keep them company. You can also bring headphones and a tablet or DVD player as well.
This way, some of the loud noise from the tools is drowned out by the show or movie they’re watching. This also helps keep their mind off of what’s going on. Let them pick out a movie or tablet to bring with them before the appointment.
Remind Them Of All the Great Treats at the End
Once your little one has completed their dentist appointment, they’ll leave the office with lots of fun treats such as stickers, a new toothbrush, and more! Remind them of all these great rewards for visiting the dentist and how they’ll get a goody bag each time they leave.
You can also use your own incentives and offer to take them out to somewhere they enjoy once the visit is done.
Suggest the Two of You Take an Office Tour
In most cases, it’s the fear of the unknown that causes us and our children to be afraid. Once they become more familiar with visiting the dentist, their anxiety will soon fade. A great way to help them become more familiarized with their new pediatric dentist in Fort Worth is to call and ask about scheduling a tour before the day of their appointment.
This gives you and your child the opportunity to meet with the dentist and the staff in the office. You can also become more familiar with the location of the office and how everything works there. When it’s time for the appointment, your child will hopefully remember the tour and all of the nice people they met while there.
Is Your Child Ready to See a Fort Worth Pediatric Dentist?
Is it time to schedule your child’s first appointment with their Fort Worth Pediatric Dentist? If their first tooth just grew in or if they haven’t seen a pediatric dentist in Fort Worth yet, then it’s time to schedule them in.
At Kids Stop Dental, our staff is trained to work with children and spot oral health issues in the early stages to ensure happy, healthy teeth for your little ones.
Click here to contact us today to ask any questions you may have and to schedule their first appointment.