Giving Teeth A Healthy Start
Good habits begin early! Your child’s dental health begins long before the eruption of their first tooth. It starts with the mother’s nutrition during pregnancy and with the families medical history. The American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry thus recommends establishing a “Dental Home” by one year of age.
The “Dental Home” is defined as the ongoing relationship between the dentist, who is the Primary Dental Care Provider, and the patient. This includes comprehensive oral health care before a problem arises causing pain.
We aim to make your child’s fist visit enjoyable and positive. You can play a large part in preparing your child for their first dental visit! Try to act relaxed and at ease. Any anxiety on your part will be sensed by your child. Please refrain from using frightening words around your child such as: “Needle,” “Pull,” “Drill,” or “Hurt,” Instead use words such as “Sleepy Juice,” “Wiggle,” “Whistle,” and “Take Pictures.” We will thoroughly explain each of our procedures to your child in terms that they can understand before we do it. This technique is known as “Tell-Show-Do” and is extremely effective in helping children feel more comfortable during their visit.
It is true that some individuals are more prone to getting cavities, and this trait can be hereditary. Knowing as much as possible about your child from the very beginning helps us develop a custom preventive plan for your child. This may include dietary habits, nutrition, oral hygiene techniques, and preventive methods to ensure optimal oral health for your child.
Your Child's First Visit Will Include:
Parents Are Welcome In All Our Treatment Rooms
With the very young child, you may be invited back for the initial examination visit. If your child needs you, naturally you are welcome to accompany them back! If you are not already in the hygiene room with your child, you will be invited into the treatment room after the cleaning for the examination with the dentist and the staff. Be assured that we will treat your child as gingerly as our own. It is not uncommon for some children to cry due to the situation but we do our best to make it an easy and quick visit. We will answer any questions that you may have at this time.
If cavities are found, subsequent visits for restorations will be scheduled. For these visits, parents can come back to be with their child if they desire. We use Nitrous Oxide for filling visits to follow our philosophy that all children should have a pleasant visit. Nitrous Oxide alleviates the child’s fear and enables the child to relax and have the best possible visit. Children with special needs and very young children respond very well with Nitrous Oxide.
If the need arises, we have an anesthesiologist who can come to our office to administer general anesthesia or intravenous sedation. There are some children with extensive treatment and behavioral problems who can benefit from the use of anesthesia.
Your child will be placed on a 6 month periodic examination schedule and an appointment for this will be made. You will receive a reminder phone call a few days prior to the visit.
Your aim as parents, and our aim as dentists are the SAME! We want to keep your child’s mouth in good health and make the process of doing so pleasant for everyone!
