What to Expect From Your Child's First Dental Visit

Most children have all of their baby teeth by the age of three, which makes toddlerhood the time when you should be teaching your child good dental habits to help prevent unhealthy oral hygiene. Regular dental visits should be a big part of their routine, but taking your child to their first dentist appointment can seem like a challenging task. It doesn’t have to be that way though, with the right preparation.

Here are a few tips to help you and your child know what to expect from your first visit with us:

1 - Meet & Greet

Formally introducing your child will help them feel more comfortable with our dental staff. Let your child know that we will explain each step of the visit and show them that the tools we will be using really aren’t that scary.

2 - Teaching the Facts

Although teaching your kids about good oral hygiene starts at home, we will help teach them the facts about cavities and the harmful things that can cause them, such as sugar-packed snacks, sodas, and juices.

3 - Learning About the Equipment

For a toddler, the sucking sound from the spitting cup can be a little frightening, but we will show your child how to spit properly to assure them there is nothing to be afraid of. Next, we will count your child’s teeth, and we show him or her how we use a mirror to see them all. We might even use our own teeth,, or yous, beforehand to help put them at ease and show them that they don’t need to be afraid of the dental tools.

4 - Cleaning & Polishing

This, like the spitting cup, makes a sound that may be new and a bit scary to a small child. We’ll show them how the rotary toothbrush is used for cleaning and polishing before placing it in their mouth. 

5 - Final Touches

We will remove any extra toothpaste or saliva with a sucking straw. The last step to your child’s first visit is to apply a coat of topical fluoride to help prevent decay. These come in yummy flavors that kids love such as, bubblegum, grape, banana, and strawberry. We’ll then explain why they should not eat of drink for 30 minutes after the treatment.

6 - The Best Part - Prizes for a Job Well Done

Giving kid-friendly toothbrushes, stickers, crayons, and even mystery grab bags can be a common practice and can be a good opportunity for positive reinforcement after the appointment. This keeps it fun and helps make them excited to come back.

After your child comes to see us for their first visit it is important to keep up with good dental habits at home. Make sure they brush at least twice a day using a soft, kid-sized brush. Kids will mimic your habits, so it is always good for them to see you brushing your own teeth as part of your daily routine. With regular visits and great habits at home, your child will be on their way to a lifetime of excellent oral health.