A Parent's Guide to Pediatric Dentistry: Tips for a Positive Dental Experience

Most adults are used to going for regular checkups and dental procedures. However, the same case cannot be said about your children. You should take your child to pediatric dentistry in Stockton, CA, once their first tooth sprouts. The first visit provides a chance for the dentist to examine the child’s gums and teeth and helps establish a good foundation for their oral habits. Below is a parent’s guide that will help in creating a positive dental experience for you and your child.

Listen to Kids’ Dental Concerns

Although your child’s baby teeth will shed in readiness for the permanent ones, listening to your kid’s dental concerns is essential in their oral health. For instance, your child may be concerned about the arrangement and shape of their teeth. They may also tell you that other kids are making fun of their misaligned teeth. If you listen to the kid’s concerns, you will take them to preventive dentistry. Preventive dentistry helps fix dental problems in kids to prevent more complex treatment in adulthood.

So, if your kid complains of something as minor as some pain, you should not ignore their complaints. Instead, check in with the dentist near you to confirm that everything is okay.

Talk about Dental Technology

There are many ways in which talking about dental technology with your kids is crucial in how they perceive the dental experience and the dentist. The truth is that the advancement in technology has helped dental procedures become faster, less painful, and more efficient. Explaining this to your child makes it easier for them to visit the dental clinic without a fuss.

For example, you can explain to your child how, previously, teeth impressions were taken using alginate, which left a weird flavour and was uncomfortable for you. But now, most dental clinics take dental impressions using a scanning wand which is quick and easy to use. Such information helps your child become less stressed and alarmed about their first dental visit.

Another excellent example of how you can talk about dental technology is how lasers are used to perform dental procedures causing less pain and bleeding. Such information can make it easier for kids to undergo dental procedures. In addition, children perceive lasers to be cool and exciting, making them more comfortable on the dental chair.

Praise Them and Offer Them a Reward

In the same way, you love being praised or rewarded at work, and so does your child. Going to the dentist in Stockton, CA, for a dental procedure takes work for your kid. Therefore, you need to recognize your child’s accomplishments and reward their good behaviour.

Before you take your child to the pediatric dentist, promise them a reward for staying calm during the dental procedure. This is because the child will focus on the reward instead of being afraid of the dental procedure.

However, you should be mindful of what kinds of rewards you want to give your child. The dentist in Stockton, CA, advises against giving your child sugary foods and drinks as rewards, as they can be counterproductive. This is because giving your child sugary foods and beverages can create a habit where they’ll be expecting them for good behaviour. Remember, such foods can sabotage your kid’s oral health by causing tooth decay and cavities.

Instead, prepare your child’s favourite meal or promise to take them out for a fun activity after they’ve shown good behaviour during the dental visit. Besides tangible gifts, rewarding your child with words of affirmation is essential. Your child will feel that their parent is proud of them, and in turn, they’ll want to make you proud every time you take them to the dental clinic.

Speak About the Dentist Only in a Positive Way

Children look up to their parents, and therefore, the best way to make your child love their dentist or feel comfortable around them is by how you speak about them. Ensure that you talk about your child’s dentist positively. This will help your child see the dentist in the same light.

If you talk negatively about the dentist, your child will have the same view that the dentist is not a good person making your child reluctant to go for regular checkups.

Once your child’s first tooth sprouts, you should begin preparing them for their first dental visit. Moreover, you need to take your child to a credible and certified dentist like the one at Valley View Dental in Stockton. You’ll have the confidence that the dentist will help maintain your kid’s oral health and teach them essential oral habits that they can use even in adulthood.