The Importance Of Your Child’s 1st Dental Visits
It's important to get an early start on dental care so that children learn that visiting the dentist is a regular part of their health care.
It can be a good idea to schedule their first visit before any problems develop, in order to create a positive initial experience for the child. For small children today, a visit to the dentist can be a fun experience because dental care for children is aimed at prevention rather than reparation.
Your child's first visit to the dentist can be at around age 1, and your child needs to start seeing the dentist regularly by age 2or 3, when most if not all of the 20 baby (or primary) teeth have arrived. At that time the dentist may want to take x-rays which can reveal any decay between the teeth. These x-rays will also show if the child's teeth are coming in the way they should be. In most cases, acheck-up every 6 months will enable the dentist to catch any small problems that may develop at an early stage.
Most dentists and their staff strive to make achild's first visits fun and relaxing, even if it just involves a "ride" in the chair to start with. Using the right techniques, a dentist or hygienist can often transform the most anxious child into acooperative little patient who is no longer afraid - a child who will leave the dental office with a smile on his or her face.
To educate and enlighten children, the dentist can introduce them to the intraoral camera which has a tiny wand that goes into the mouth, and then projects pictures of their teeth onto aTV screen. Children can also learn something about proper dental hygiene with big, oversized toothbrushes.
Sometimes, the specialized services of a pediatric dentist may be indicated, especially if a young child is uncooperative.
The language parents use with children regarding their dental visits is also critical to developing the proper mental image. Children need to be spoken to with honesty, but proper wording alleviates fearful images, enabling the dentist to manage those early dental visits positively. Speak enthusiastically of upcoming dental visits, emphasizing benefits such as having clean and healthyteeth and apretty smile.
As parents, you should ask the dentist about appropriate oral hygiene procedures and nutritional care, even before your child's first dental visits.
Once your child has teeth, you should lift the child's lips once a month and visually check the teeth. Be on the lookout for dull white spots or lines on the teeth. These may appear on the necks of the teeth, next to the gums. Dark coloured teeth are alsoaproblem sign. Ifyou should observe any of these symptoms, please take your child to the dentist at once. Early childhood dental problems must be treated quickly, otherwise the child may suffer from pain and infection.
June 23, 2010Dental News0
