Your Child’s First Dental Visit

Early and continued dental check-ups are a vital factor in protecting your child’s oral health. It’s recommended that your child’s first dental visit should occur within 6 months after their first baby tooth appears, but no later than 2-3 years-old. It’s best to bring your child to see a dentist even if you have no reason to suspect any dental problem, as prevention and early detection is key.

As you prepare your child for their first dental visit, it’s natural to have questions and concerns about their oral health journey. Understanding the importance of early dental care sets the stage for a lifetime of healthy smiles. However, if you’re curious to delve deeper into the specialized care your child receives, you might find our companion article, “Tiny Teeth, Big Care: What Is A Pediatric Dentist All About?” enlightening. In it, we explore the unique role pediatric dentists play in providing tailored, child-friendly dental care, ensuring that every little smile receives the attention and expertise it deserves. So, as you embark on this dental adventure with your child, rest assured that you’re not alone, and expert guidance is readily available to support you every step of the way.

What to Expect

During your child’s first visit to the dentist, we will gently and thoroughly check for any problems relating to tooth decay and gum disease. We will also show you how to properly care for your child’s teeth, and provide dietary advice as well as recommendations about the most appropriate oral hygiene products.

Everything that occurs during the check-up will be explained prior to commencement. And if your child is particularly anxious we are perfectly comfortable with having your child sit on your lap during the practice.

At Care Dental Camberwell, we have excellent experience working with children. We pride ourselves on a warm and welcoming environment your child will feel comfortable in, and try to make check-ups as interactive as possible for your child. From counting teeth together, to using light-hearted rotary toothbrushes.

Helping Your Child with Dental Anxiety

Dental visits can cause anxiety amongst the calmest of adults. Often this occurs as a result of traumatic experience at an early age. At Care Dental Camberwell, we understand this, and endeavour to make our paediatric dental check-ups as comfortable as possible. To help your child with fears about the dentist, we recommend the following:

Bring your child with you to the dentist so they can observe the environment. This will help them get used to the sights, smells and sounds of a dental office.
Prevention is key! Early, regular visits will ensure your child only has ‘easy’ visits by preventing oral problems before they occur. With correct dental care, the risk of requiring injections, fillings and extractions is greatly reduced.
Don’t use the dentist as a threat! For example, don’t say, “If you don’t brush your teeth, I’ll take you to the dentist and they’ll pull all your teeth out!” It might seem harmless, but words like these can make trips to the dentist really difficult for your child.
Try not to externalise your fears and anxieties to your child. If you yourself don’t particularly enjoy the thought of going to the dentist, try to be mindful of voicing these fears to your child. If you’re fearful, they’ll probably mirror that behaviour before they’ve even had the experience.

Take The First Step to Oral Health Excellence with Care Dental Camberwell

Take the first step to improved oral health and aesthetics with Care Dental Camberwell. Give us a call today to experience the Care Dental Camberwell difference.