I don’t remember my first trip to the dentist, but I can vividly remember the first time I took my oldest child to our kids dentist in Kissimmee, FL, for a check-up.
The look on Jacob’s face said it all — he was one nervous young man. I’m sure I had the same expression on my face on my first visit to the dentist. Making that trip to the family dental clinic in Kissimmee, FL, just wasn’t something that was high on any child’s list of fun activities, especially if it meant removing some tooth decay while missing some fun summer activity with my friends.
Pediatric dental techniques have certainly changed in the last 40 years, and there’s really no reason for a child to be nervous or anxious when they visit a kids dentist in Kissimmee, FL. Pediatric dentists, including the team at Columbia Dental Care & Associates in Kissimmee, are trained in methods to make young children feel comfortable and at ease when they visit the dentist, no matter how young they are.
If you’re a new parent and you are about to schedule an initial visit to a kids dentist in Kissimmee, FL, for your child, there’s a few things that you can do in advance of that first appointment that can help your child be less stressed on the day of the appointment. And guess what? If your child is less stressed on the way to the family dental clinic in Kissimmee, FL, you will be less anxious too!
Here’s a few tips to make that initial trip to the dentist’s office a little less stressful for everyone in the family.
Read a good book
Apparently, there are plenty of book authors who remember childhood visits to the dentist’s office. I can remember reading two books to my own children, including The Berenstain Bears book and Peppa Pig’s Dentist Trip book. It helped my children feel better about going to the dentist. I’m sure it will help yours as well.
There’s also numerous videos available about children and families going to the dentist.
Get started at playtime
Go to a toy store and buy a dentist playset for your child or children. Use a doll or a stuffed animal and let the kids pretend they are the dentist and they are the person who is cleaning or examining teeth. If there is a brush or other instrument in the playset, let your child work on your teeth. It will help them get a better idea of what the dentist will be doing when the roles are reversed in the dentist’s chair.
Make it a special event
Just about every dentist has a reward for the children they treat. It makes the child feel positive about the experience once the appointment is complete. Think of some way to reward your own child. Maybe it’s a special lunch after the appointment, or a small gift that they can use regularly that will remind them that going to the dentist was a successful task. Anything you do will help the next time your child needs to visit the dentist.
Parents need to help their children learn that caring for their teeth is a daily task that will benefit them as they grow older. As a kids dentist in Kissimmee, FL, Columbia Dental Care & Associates will work with your children, encouraging them to brush their teeth twice a day, rinse with an antiseptic mouthwash after each meal, and floss as often as possible.
Call Columbia Dental Care & Associates today at 407.606.8454 and schedule an appointment for your child. If you would rather schedule an appointment online, go to https://mycolumbiadental.com/. While you are on our website, take a few minutes to see all the other services we provide. Let us help with your family’s oral health care.