How to Prepare Your Child for a Dental Appointment: Our Top Tips
Bringing your child to the dentist for the first time? Getting a treatment like an orthodontic consultation, filling, or tooth extraction? You may be wondering how to prepare your little one for their trip to the dentist. Here are some top tips from the team at Harbor Family Dental!
1. Get an Early-Morning Appointment If You Can
Kids tend to be bright-eyed and ready to go in the mornings when they’re rested. Getting an appointment early in the morning (as opposed to the afternoon) ensures that they aren’t cranky or tired, and they’ll be able to sit still and get through their appointment more easily.
2. Make Sure You’re Not Feeling Nervous or Anxious: Be Positive!
Yes, it can be a bit nerve-wracking taking your child to the dentist for the first time. But do your best to keep from showing your child that you might be nervous. Children can sense your mood and how you’re feeling, and if you feel nervous, scared, or anxious, they will feel the same way.
Be positive. Make your child’s visit to the dentist seem fun and routine, and do your best to maintain a good attitude. If you do, your child will follow suit, and will be more excited to see the dentist!
3. Tell Your Child What’s Going to Happen, But Don’t Go Into the Specifics
If you’re taking your child in for a teeth cleaning, for example, let them know that their teeth will be cleaned to keep them healthy and that the dentist will look at their teeth to make sure they’re strong.
Or, for an orthodontic consultation, tell them that the dentist will be looking at their teeth and their bite to make sure they fit properly, and their teeth will stay healthy as they grow up.
You don’t have to go into specifics. The dental team at your family dentist, such as Harbor Family Dental, can explain the procedures in a kid-friendly way to your child, and answer any questions they might have.
4. Be Ready to Discuss Your Child’s Dental Health & Habits With Your Dentist
You’ll want to discuss your child’s dental health history, any habits they have such as thumb-sucking, histories of genetic dental problems in your family, a list of medical conditions they have, and any other factors that may influence their dental health.
5. Stay Positive & Encourage Your Child During Their Appointment
We can provide “lap exams” for infants and very young toddlers, and we always allow you to stay in the room with your child, even if they’re older. You can stay with your child and encourage them as their teeth are examined, and make sure they feel safe and comfortable with the dentist. Simply being in the room and holding your child’s hand can help them feel safe and get through their dental appointment with less fussing and anxiety.
6. Consider Sedation for Fillings, Extractions, & Other Procedures
If your child needs a filling, a tooth extraction, or another dental procedure beyond a simple cleaning, sedation with laughing gas may be a good option. Your child will simply inhale the gas from a nose mask. They will feel less anxiety and be able to remain comfortable throughout the procedure. To see if sedation is right for your child, just ask Dr. Ryan Wallrich at Harbor Family Dental.
Come to Harbor Family Dental for Experienced, Child-Friendly Dentistry in San Diego
If you need a kid-friendly dentist in Point Loma, Ocean Beach or San Diego, Dr. Ryan Wallrich at Harbor Family Dental is the best choice. At our office, we serve kids of all ages with child-friendly dentistry. To learn more and get started, just contact us at (619) 786-2939, or stop by our office at 1310 Rosecrans Street., Suite B, San Diego, CA 92106.