Even though your child will begin visiting the dentist around the age of one, the first dental cleaning will most likely happen later, once the majority of the baby teeth have emerged.
As a result, the first cleaning is usually done between the ages of 12 and 36 months, when the child is still a toddler. Your child's dentist will be able to detect and remove plaque and tartar buildup during this time before it becomes a serious problem.
Preparing Your Child for Their First Dental Cleaning
It's important to spend some time talking with your child about what will take place before the first cleaning visit happens. Talk to children about the significance of keeping their teeth healthy, and describe what the dentist will do in language that is suitable for their age and stage of development.
You might want to keep things simple. If you give your child too many details, he or she may become concerned. Most of the time, we advise parents to say something along these lines:
"The dentist is going to look at your teeth, count them, and make sure they are healthy and strong. The dentist’s name is Dr. Doctor. They are nice!"
Avoid using unpleasant words and phrases around your child if he or she is already afraid of going to the dentist. Even if you use gentler language to describe the discomfort, such as "not too bad" or "just a little," words like shot, pinch, and needle are likely to stick in your child's mind.
If dental appointments make you nervous, try not to express your emotions to your child during the appointment. They look to you for guidance when it comes to responding to new experiences. They will be concerned if you appear concerned.
During the Appointment
We encourage you to contact us ahead of time and tell us about your child's personality. When confronted with unfamiliar situations, do they tend to be fearful or rebellious? Is there anything about your child's attachment or development that we should be aware of and address during the appointment?
We will be better able to cater to your child's individual needs and ensure that they receive the care they require if we have more information.
We'll check your child's teeth, jaws, gums, and bite at the start of the session to make sure they're healthy.
In addition, just like with adult patients, we will use specialized devices to remove plaque and tartar from the teeth.
Recommendations for proper brushing and flossing techniques will be presented. It never hurts to get a refresher course on the subject, whether your child washes and flosses his teeth or you still do it for him.
Please feel free to ask any questions you may have concerning your child's oral health or any impending dental treatments during the visit.
Following the completion of the exam and cleaning, we will schedule any required follow-up visits. Also, if you like, we may schedule the next cleaning and checkup session sooner if necessary.