Steps to Prepare Your Child for Their First Dental Visit

Taking your child for their first dental checkup isn’t always the easiest for the child, nor the parent. At Synergy Dental Arts, we understand your concerns and also the fear of your kids. This is why we’ve put together a short article on how to prepare your child for their first dental visit. 

Having a dental checkup is necessary but, we understand that the child should be comfortable as well. To help you in this challenging situation, we have enlisted a few tips you should be following. 

Adopt a Positive Attitude: You cannot convince your kid for a dental visit in just a single day. So, It is better to maintain a positive approach towards oral hygiene in the house from an early stage. You should avoid mentioning any painful experience before the kid that may impact them negatively.  

Importance of dental checkups: It is essential to inform your kid about oral hygiene and dental checkups. These learnings should not be lectures but interactive and exciting. Use incidents, drawings, and examples to make it suitable for a child. Brushing time is the perfect time for such teachings. You can use TV ads as a reference. 

Role-play and stories: It's a great idea to bring your kid during your checkups. Through this, they will get familiar with the process, and it would be easier to convince and deal with them. Share your experiences positively and try to make them funny to reduce their fear. 

Read or watch: Youtube can prove to be a gem for you. Use it to find animated and informative videos to convince your kid easily. The cartoon videos are fascinating to watch and work as a great example. You can search for animated series like Peppa Pig, Dora the Explorer, etc. Comics will also help you a lot. 

Plan a treat or offer rewards: No doubt, it's a famous trick to convince a child. Rewards always attract the little ones. If your kid is reluctant to visit the dentist, try offering his favorite food, toy or even plan a treat for him. Also, don't forget to be prepared in advance. Bring his favorite soft toy to comfort him if needed.  

Don't force the kid: It is crucial to understand that forcing the kid can lead to adverse effects. You need to stay calm and make the decisions patiently. Even if the kid is showing resistance, don't force him. As a kid, it is obvious to be scared. You should try to make the first checkup comfortable.  

A child generally takes 2 to 3 visits to open up before the dentist. Let him take his time and keep encouraging him. Your calm behavior will help him create a positive outlook towards dental checkups. 

The above tips will help your child feel confident and ready for the checkup. Still, if your kid is hesitating to visit the dentist, be polite and encourage him.  

At Synergy Dental Arts, pediatric dentists have acquired special training regarding child psychology and growing smiles. We use techniques like tell-show-do to make the child relax and cooperate. So, put your tension aside and book an appointment for the first dental checkup of your child.