Baby Tooth Care
When should the first dental examination be done?The World Health Organization recommends having an examination done after the eruption of the first tooth, which happens between 6 to 12 months of age.
Isn’t age one a bit young for a dental examination?Early examination is critical for the early detection of problems. Our aim as dentists is to prevent any decay in your child’s teeth, to inform you of any action you can take, and to ensure the teeth’s healthy growth and development through frequent check-ups.
What should we be aware of for the first dental examination?Below are corrections to some errors that parents often make when taking their child to the first dental examination:
1) Do not start by telling your children about your good and bad experiences in the dentist’s chair.
2) Do not say things to your child like “Don’t be afraid, it won’t hurt”. When you say this, it creates the belief in the child’s subconscious that, in fact, it will hurt. Avoid making scary threats such as saying that his or her teeth will rot or that he/she will get an injection.
3) Do not reward your child with a gift after the first visit to the dentist. This will create the perception that visiting the dentist is something difficult.
Any negative experience in the dentist’s chair that happens during childhood can develop into a phobia of the dentist in later years. Relieving this anxiety at an older age may require psychological and pharmacological treatment.
What happens in the first visit to the dentist? Does treatment begin immediately?On the first visit, we explain to the children the purpose of all of the tools and show them how these tools are used. We even allow the children to use some of the tools. If the child feels comfortable with to them, we try some easy, painless procedures. If the child resists, we take him or her out of chair, avoid making him or her cry and schedule a later visit. In this way, we make sure not induce psychological trauma related to the dental clinic or dentist’s chair.
