As a kid going to the dentist was one of my favorite things to do. I loved my dentist and thought seeing my teeth and the inside of my mouth was super cool.
Since I loved my dentist, Dr. King I wanted my boys to have the same experience when visiting the dentist. Oral hygiene is so important and starting at an early age is essential to build healthy habits for a lifetime. I take pride in my teeth and love smiling.
I would hate for my boys to feel ashamed of their teeth or not feel comfortable with their smile. So, when it is time to visit the dentist I focus on making it a positive and fun experience. Since going to the dentist is the best way to detect oral (and overall) health problems you might not know you have.
Plus, dental diseases, including tooth decay, are easier to treat and cost less time, pain and money if detected early. So for the best care for your child, it’s important to get to the dentist early and regularly from a young age.
How to Make Your Child’s First Visit to the Dentist Fun
1. Introduce your dentist to your children before their first visit to the dentist.
One way to do this is to have your kids come with you for one of your appointments and watch what the dentist does. Make it fun, notify your dentist ahead of time so they know to take some extra time. While my boys had a million questions my hygienist was super patient and answered everything. My boys marveled at the x-ray of my teeth and were fascinated by the equipment.
2. Learn all about the dentist before their first visit.
We read a few books including Going to the Dentist
and talked about all things teeth while we read The Tooth Book
there are also lots of kids tv programs and apps out there that focus on going to the dentist. Books and other sources give kids lots of mediums to ask questions and understand the dentist before their visit.
3. Explain what will happen during the visit
I knew that my boys might be scared of the noises and the dentist wearing a mask and gloves so we talked about why that would happen. If you can anticipate anything that your son/daughter might be unsure of focus on those as positive things so they feel comfortable with anything that might be different for them.
4. Set the tone of excitement and fun
Kids pick up on our emotions. Regardless of how you feel about the dentist sharing good stories and speaking positively about the experience makes it fun. Maybe plan a non-food reward for once you’re done. We even drew a picture for the dentist and gave it to her when we got there.
It’s time to get into the spirit of Oral Health Month and to “Make Your Teeth a Big Deal” call your dentist to make an appointment.
Don’t have a dentist? Click here to find a dentist in your area. (http://bit.ly/OntDA4)
Disclosure: Although this post has been generously sponsored by The Ontario Dental Association, the opinions and language are my own.
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I tried to make it as fun as I can for my son, but he still didn’t like it LOL! Maybe I should have used a few of these tips!
Jeanette recently posted..Do #SomeTHiNGOOD for Yourself with GOOD THiNS
My kids dentist made it fun for them, which I am thankful for because I am terrified of the dentist.
I’ve been worrying about taking my son and how he would react. Great pointers for those first visits!
It’s such a good idea to prepare them ahead of time. I need to not project my fears on the kids.
These are great tips! My kids have always done well at the dentist thankfully.
William Sweeney recently posted..San Antonio Texas Is The Perfect Spot For Some Mancation Shenanigans #VisitSanAntonio #TexasToDo
Great ideas! I think all of these are super important to make kids feel better about going to the dentist – they would even make me feel better as an adult!
The dentist can be very scary for kids so making it enjoyable when they are young is so important. Great tips and suggestions!
This is a great post. I think it’s very important to help your kids with a visit to the dentist. I never really liked going either, and I still don’t always like going. Luckily my girls don’t mind going ..yet..I’m hoping they’ll never be afraid to visit the dentist.
My husband is a pediatric dentist, so we talk a lot about this! They should see a dentist when they get their first tooth. Take them in for regular check ups and they won’t associate the dentist with pain. SO important to build a good relationship with your dentist! Great tips!!
Aimee Smith recently posted..Quiet Time Boxes: Getting Started
These are great tips. I know I really get nervous about going to the dentist so it’s a good reminder that we need to be careful not to pass those feelings on to our kids.
Dawn Lopez recently posted..Worth-it Trends Modern Homebuyers Should Know
I remember my kids first trip to the Dentist. It went okay but the kids still had a fear to go back. Now they are teenagers and they still do not like the Dentist.
These are great tips for the kids first trip to the Dentist. I have been lucky and my Kids like to go. They like how nice their teeth feel after.
My kids are the minority here. They love going to our dentist and cry when it is not their turn to have an appointment.
My son has autism and getting him to the dentist is awful. We actually had to get two filling yesterday and it was a long visit. It took us almost 75 minutes to get him to even put the mask on for the happy gas. Your tips would have been so helpful!
So should have had these with me for both the kids. They weren’t BAD experiences, but I would have love to make them better with these.
Autumn Reo recently posted..New Mamas Invited to BLOOM April 30
Oh no! That’s too bad. I hope you are able to have great experiences next time!
Explaining the visit beforehand is a smart move. Also, a nice treat afterwards isn’t a bad idea.
Your boys fascination with the equipment must have been a sight to see. You make a good point when reminding parents that kids can pick up on their emotions.
Your boy’s fascination with the equipment must have been a sight to see. You make a good point when reminding parents that kids can pick up on their emotions.
Making a trip to the dentist fun can help later in life when they need to keep a schedule. Thanks for sharing!
Definitely some very helpful tips and advice. Going to the dentist is something that kids need to become comfortable with so that they will go regularly when they grow up. Thanks for sharing!
I always worried about my child’s while taking them to the dentist office I don’t know how they gonna react for that one but after reading your post I got some information thank you for that.
It’s amazing how many resources there are out there for learning about the dentist! Thanks for these tips, great post!
Heather recently posted..Test
Some great tips! I am always looking for additional suggestions to give to my patients. It is always great when both parents can join the child on their first visit.
Thanks for the idea! it’s very useful.
Awesome tips! Kids are very afraid when it comes to getting them to a dentist, so we make our child first visit to the dentist fun with friendly. Once again thank you and keep sharing!
A dentist who is good at communicating with children will make a huge difference. The advice to Explain what will happen during the visit was great.