Taking your one year old to a pediatric dentist is the best way to start him off in the right direction for a lifetime of regular dental care. Those first several visits should go smoothly enough but you may hit some rough spots as your child gets a little older and is more exposed to the influence of others. If he overhears some exaggerated “horror story” about a trip to the dentist he is more likely to balk at the idea.
There are some things you can do and some other things that you should avoid doing to make your child feel more at ease about going to the dentist.
Leading by example isn’t always best. Some parents make the mistake of thinking that their own dental appointment would be a good time to impress their child by seeing how easy it is for “mommy” or “daddy.” This could backfire in a couple of ways. First of all no matter how cool and collected you try to be it’s only human nature to feel some level of anxiety when you know you are scheduled for a dental procedure. This apprehension may show through without you even realizing it.
Also, there’s a big difference between the sometimes austere atmosphere of an adult’s dental office and the kid friendly surroundings in a pediatric one. When your child is welcomed by the “tooth fairy” for instance, it tends to offset anything else.
Take your cue from the dentist and his associates. They’re used to dealing with all kinds of reactions from kids of any age and they’ll know from experience when your child needs you to be there by his side or when things might go better if you’re out of the room.
Don’t do anything to make your child think that something scary is about to happen. If you promise a reward for good behavior your child may start to wonder. Most pediatric dentists in Aurora give their patients “goodie bags” with flavored toothpaste and creatively decorated toothbrushes to take with them and use at home.
Trust the training and experience of the staff and associates at Epic Dentistry for Kids in Aurora. Call 720-721-3600 for your appointment.
