As the teeth of your children begin to come in with a vengeance, you’ll want to be sure that the youngsters are adequately prepared for their first trip to the dentist. While some parents choose to take their children to a pediatric dentist, others are perfectly happy sending them to a traditional dentist. In most cases, dental professionals should examine a child’s mouth within six months of the first baby tooth. Dentists will be able to examine the angles of the incoming teeth to ensure that everything is aligned properly. Improperly aligned teeth can lead to oral pain. In some cases, toddlers will even have problems chewing their food.
Easing Anxiety
In all cases, new parents should ease their children into the process. Young boys and girls should not feel threatened as they are delicately placed in the dental chair for the first time. Some parents may even choose to gently hold their kids in place while the preliminary exam is being conducted. Dental professionals who speak to children in soft tones and who smile widely will generally do well with toddlers. The existing teeth will be examined for decay and other structural problems. The jaw, gums and surrounding oral tissue will also be checked to ensure that there are no larger problems with the muscular and skeletal systems.
Explaining Good Oral Hygiene
During the initial visit, toddlers should be given information on proper hygiene. While brushing will be the most important part of the process, teaching proper flossing techniques is also a good idea. To help things along, dentists might give kids colorful brushes with Disney characters on them. This will encourage them to brush their teeth each morning and evening. Cartoon booklets will help older children understand why plaque is so bad. When allowed to remain on the teeth, it can harden into calculus, which can only be removed professionally.
Breaking Bad Habits
Pediatric dentists are superb at helping toddlers break bad habits that can cause problems for oral health later on in life. Tongue thrusting and lip sucking, for example, can both lead to dental issues. Likewise, sucking the thumb is also considered a problem once kids have gotten past a certain age. In fact, sucking the thumb can cause the front teeth to angle outward through time. These alignment issues can remain present throughout childhood, which can cause visual irregularities. If certain bad oral habits are hurting the teeth, dentists can work with parents to develop a viable plan of action.
Nutrition and Teething
Dentists will also examine the teeth during the first visit to make sure that children are getting the proper nutrition. While baby food is fine for the earliest months of life, kids will eventually transition to solid food during the second year. Fruits and vegetables can help remove plaque from the teeth. At an early age, there is no reason for most toddlers to be drinking soda, coffee, tea or anything with caffeine in it. We talked with Willis Dental who explained, “While fruit juice is considered acidic, the benefits outweigh any small problems related to fading enamel. If severely sore gums are present during teething episodes, dental professionals will give parents some tips to minimize the pain.” Cold plastic freezer rings can help quite a bit.
X-Rays
X-rays will not normally need to be taken before the teeth are cleaned for the first time. In fact, traditional x-rays will only be required once the youngsters are well into childhood. X-rays provide crucial information on the roots of the teeth. If structural problems are detected, these can be taken care of before they grow worse. Severe tooth decay, which is sometimes genetic, will require x-rays to be taken within the first 18 months.
Showing Off That Wonderful Smile
Once kids have made it through their first appointment, they’ll no longer be afraid to climb into the chair on subsequent visits. With regular exams, they’ll continue to show off those pearly whites for the rest of their lives.
