Three ways to have a great dental appointment with your child:

Going for regular dental appointments is essential for all of us. But, it is particularly important for your children, because good oral healthcare now will mean they should have better oral health when they’re an adult.

Yet, the visit itself can be a confusing time for your little one because of the new or unusual sounds and smells. So, what should you do to prepare them for their check-up? Whether it’s their first dental appointment or they’ve had negative experiences in the past, these tips should help you and your child get ready for the dentist.

1 Look for a suitable dentist

It may be easy and convenient to take your child to the same dentist that you visit. However, this might not be the best dental office to take your tot to. There are practices that specialise in treating younger members of your family, such as this http://www.dentessential.com.au dentist in Richmond.

The reasons you should go to a different dentist to your regular one are to do with you as well as how suitable the facilities are for children. You might start to tense up on the way to your regular office, even if you’re not having a check-up, which your child may pick up on. A child-friendly waiting area will also help your child feel more comfortable as well.

2 Talk about it

It’s recommended that children start having regular appointments with a dentist once their first teeth start to come through. So, they may be used to going to the dentist once you can start talking to them about the visit. But, it’s still worth letting them know what will happen when they step foot into the office.

The first visit may be just to let your child get familiar with the dentist’s chair and may not involve an examination. Once it’s time for a check-up, a dentist that’s used to having younger patients should talk through each step of the appointment and show how certain pieces of equipment work, such as the spitting cup.

3 Be positive

If you get nervous about dental visits, then your child may feel this as well. If you are relaxed, your child will reflect this, and the visit will go a lot better. This will be helped further if you’ve been talking about the appointment with your child so they are prepared.

Yet, there may be a time when your child’s dental appointment comes with bad news. Children’s teeth are more porous than adult teeth and are more susceptible to tooth decay, so even if you do take great care with your child’s oral care, they may still need fillings at some point.

You will need to have a cool, calm front for fillings appointments with your child if they need one, so it’s recommended that the calmer parent goes along (even if that’s not you). It’s also best not to go into too much detail about the procedure and not use terms linked to pain or punishment.