Planning on getting dental cleaning for your child? If so, you want to prepare for the visit. It’s not easy for a young child to go to the dentist for something other than a basic checkup. Here are seven tips that you can consider for the first dental cleaning.
1. Tell Your Dentist About Any Potential Issues
Does your child have any issues? Does your child have anxiety or a fear of sharp objects? If so, it’s a good idea to let your dentist know about these issues. This will give your dentist a head’s up for the appointment.
The dentist will likely do everything possible to lessen the anxiety and fear that your child may have. If your dentist isn’t told about these issues, they may treat your child as a routine dental treatment, complicating things. For example, opting to get deep teeth cleaning with the dentist in Las Vegas can help with the maintenance of your child’s dental health.
2. Find a Dentist That’s Kid Friendly
Don’t just assume that any dentist will do. It’s always a better idea to find a dentist that works with kids. In fact, it may be smart to find a pediatric dentist near your area. This is a specialist that specifically works with kids.
And if your child has any dental or oral health issues, seek a pediatric dentist. They can better serve your child’s unique needs and provide a more positive experience.
3. Tell Your Child What to Expect
One of the best things you can do is to prepare your child for the trip to the dentist. Rather than generalize the situation, and tell your child that he or she has to go to the dentist, sit your child down and tell your child what to expect. Tell your child about the tools that are used, if the cleaning is painful, and what the dentist will do.
This will help lessen any potential anxiety and fear your child may have about the dentist. It will also make your child feel comfortable during the actual visit. There will be no unexpected surprises to deal with during the session.
4. Simulate the Dentist Appointment
If your child is a bit older, you can simulate what goes on in the dentist’s appointment. Get them to lay down and pretend that you are fixing your child’s teeth. Make it playful and try to frame it as a not a big deal. This will help create more comfort about the dentist visit.
5. Prepare Yourself
You should prepare yourself just as much as you should prepare your child. If your child starts crying or acting out, think about what you can possibly do to help calm your child down. For example, does your child have a favourite toy that you can bring along? Think about how you can reassure your child during the cleaning session.
6. Promise a Reward
A great way to anticipate a visit to the dentist is to promise a reward to your child. Maybe it means that they can visit their favourite store. Maybe it can be a small gift your child has been asking for. This will add more incentive to your child about visiting the dentist.
7. Schedule Ahead of Time
Do you think that your child will have a rough time at the dentist? If so, it’s a smart idea to ask your dentist if there are a day and time that’s less busier than usual. This will give the dentist more freedom to take things slower. The dentist will be able to help calm your child because there isn’t as much of a time constraint.
Bringing your child to the dentist can be challenging. Fortunately, these seven tips can help make dental cleaning as seamless as possible.