What You Can Expect at Your Child's First Dental Visit

The thought of taking your child for his or her first dental visit may bring on feelings of nervousness or fear for both the child and the parents. The first visit to the dentist can be scary for some children, so you should know what to expect before you take your child for his or her first appointment.

Above all, you as the child's parent should enter the situation with as much calmness as possible, even if you are not feeling calm on the inside. The following are some things your child may experience at the first dental visit.

When you first go into the examination room, you will likely have a meet and greet with the dentist and the hygienist. At this time, the dentist will talk to you about each step of the exam and what he or she will be doing. The dentist will show your child the tools used during the exam and explain what the exam is for.

The dentist will also take a brief history of your child's oral health. He or she will ask questions, such as whether or not your child used a pacifier as a baby, if your child was breast- or bottle-fed, whether or not the child sucks a thumb, and any other pertinent questions regarding your child's oral development.

If your child seems especially nervous or unwilling to cooperate, be sure to ask if your child can sit on your lap during the exam. Also, if your child has a special comfort item, such as a blanket or stuffed animal, be sure to bring it along to help keep your child calm.

Most first dental exams are brief and only include the examination of the teeth. The dentist will count the child's teeth to determine if more teeth still need to erupt, look for decay in the teeth, check the child's bite, and check for any problems with the jaw and gums.

The dentist or dental hygienist may also clean the teeth with a rotary toothbrush or polisher. This part of the exam may be scary for some children due to the noise. You may want to bring headphones for the child to listen to music to help drown out the noise of the polisher.

If your child still seems anxious, the dentist or hygienist will again show how the polisher works to ensure the process will not hurt.

After the examination, the doctor will inform you of any concerns he or she may have about your child's oral development. If decay is present or the dentist needs to perform other treatment, the dentist will have you make a follow-up appointment to take care of those issues. This is also the perfect time for you to ask any questions you may have about your child's oral health.

Additionally, the dentist will go over some basic oral care guidelines with your child. Using words a child can understand, the dentist will talk about the importance of keeping the teeth clean, the why of avoiding sugary snacks, and other important parts of good oral hygiene. The dentist may also use pictures or models of teeth to help educate your child on good oral hygiene.

The first dental visit should be as stress-free as possible so your child can acclimate to dental cleanings. If you have any questions or would like to have a dentist examine your child's teeth, please contact Michael G. Landy DDS. We begin seeing children at age four, which is a great age to introduce a child to the importance of healthy teeth and good oral hygiene.