First Time Taking Your Child To The Dental Clinic

Knowing when to take your child to the dentist for the first time can be tricky so the following points will give you a good idea of when to go, how to prepare, and what to expect.

Child first time to the dentist

The first time you should consider taking your child to the dentist is at around 12 months or at least 6 months from the time their first tooth appears. Bad planning can make the visit a scary experience for your child as it involves new surroundings and meeting new people. So to make it a fun experience try and do some of the following before your appointment:

• Look for someone who specializes in pediatric dentistry in Dubai for your child as they specialize in children’s teeth.
• Try and go with your child for a tour of the practice before the appointment to make the surroundings more familiar.
• Inform your child if old enough what will happen on the visit and be careful not to talk about any of your own dislikes about visiting dentists as this may scare your child.
• Aim for an early appointment as children are most alert and attentive during this time.
• Make the visit like a mini adventure – “the doctor is going to see how big you are by counting your teeth” for example, makes the child know their teeth will be checked and make it seem more like a fun game than the actual case of checking for decay, gum disease and more.
• Always be positive and supportive as kids pick up on fear easily.
• If bringing a favorite toy helps keep your child calm then consider taking one with you.
• Inform the dentist in Dubai of any bad habits such as thumb or pacifier sucking as these can damage the child’s jaw and teeth moving forward.
• Write down all the questions you intend to ask the dentist beforehand.
• Lastly, bring all your child’s relevant medical history.

What Usually Happens On The First Visit?

Funny enough the first visit is more of a “getting acquainted” visit rather than a full drawn examination and doesn’t usually last long. Ordinarily, the following may happen:

• The doctor becomes acquainted with your child using a playful setting.
• At times the doctor may role play and ask that you sit in the dentist’s chair to show your child that it is totally safe.
• The dentist may ask you to leave momentarily in order to gain trust and gauge the child’s reaction.
• The dentist will check the child’s gums, jaw, teeth, and bite through the use of fun games and models. They may also ask you, the parent, to help them demonstrate.
•  The dentist may clean the child’s teeth and discuss good hygiene practices, preventative measures to stop bad habits from forming, teething issues, cavity prevention, and so on.

Learn about the impact of gum disease on children’s health in our blog on Effects of Gum Disease On Kids.