I’m officially in dentist-mode at my house. Almost 3 years old, LadyP is at the official Dentist Age. I guess I’ve always have been in the mode though (given that my dad and uncle are both dentists). Not having any cavities growing up (to this day, baby!) was always almost as important as keeping our grades up (seriously). Brush your teeth, brush your teeth, brush your teeth. Did ya brush your teeth? Smiles are always important… but to me, they are IMPORTANT.
I was nervous about LadyP’s first trip to the dentist a few months ago. This is going to be the thing that makes or breaks her dentist experiences. She’s either going to be totally fine, or this is going to scar her forever and ever and she’s never going to have good hygiene habits from this point on (and be like my husband, where you have to beg and nag and annoy him just to make a well-visit appointment). Given that my dad was “the” dentist for our very first trip… it was actually fun. LadyP was fine. But I guess everyone gets happy when you get free swag from Grandpa.
That visit was a fabulous day for me (and her too). Thought I’d share a few tips (that I had in the back of my mind, thanks to Brighter.com) that might help you when you take your tots to the dentist:
- Start taking your child to the dentist at an early age to begin acclimating them to going to the dentist.
- Find the right dentist for your child, preferably one that is kid friendly (sites like Brighter.com let you see pictures of the dentist’s office before going so you can check out the amenities and features)
- Keep it simple and be positive. Avoid words like “pain” or “shot” or “hurt,” and keep the explanations simple: “the dentist is going to check your smile and count your teeth.” This will help alleviate nerves or jitters.
- Let them take a comforting stuffed animal or toy with them.
- Reward good behavior with a sticker or a small toy when they are done.
- Schedule the appointment early in the day while the child is not tired, and before they are wound up from the day.
And after our first visit, my mind in now smack back in the “mode” that I remember as a kid (having a dentist dad). Let’s face it: it’s a lot easier to do preventative care than have to deal with the alternative of cavity-fillings, etc. Some reminders that can help avoid/minimize ‘yucky’ trips to the dentist:
- Take your kids to the dentist! Doctors typically recommend making your first dental visit by age two. As they get older, visiting the pros once or twice a year is the first step to detecting and preventing any oral health problems in your child, including any malformations of the teeth or jaws, or any need for orthodontics. Preventive care is much less expensive than delaying the dentist and winding up with a major procedure that costs exponentially more money. (Using services like Brighter.com can help make these trips affordable for your family.) Additionally, taking your child to the dentist at an early age will help to instill good cleaning habits and foster a healthy relationship with the dentist.
- Don’t forget to brush! Every parent knows kids should brush their teeth at least twice a day: Make it fun! In addition to using a toothbrush with adorable characters, find a fun, animal-shaped kitchen timer to encourage them to brush for the recommended two full minutes. Or, sing their favorite song with them for the duration of their brushing—songs last about two-three minutes, so this will help them understand how long they should spend cleaning their teeth.
- Floss, floss, floss! You should start flossing your child’s teeth as soon as they start touching side by side. Help your child develop a habit of gently flossing once a day to help remove food that can get stuck between his or her teeth, and also to reduce plaque buildup. (As my dad always said, you can get cavities between your teeth too.)
- Adjust kids’ diet. Crunchy fruits and vegetables like apples, celery and cucumbers have high water volume that helps dilute sugar and wash food particles from their teeth. These foods also take longer to chew, which stimulates saliva production that helps to prevent tooth decay as well.
- Fluoride is your friend. Adding vitamins and fluoride pills or drops to your child’s diet will help strengthen the enamel of their teeth as they are being formed. Ask your doctor if this might be a good option for your child. These drops/pills are typically recommended until age 13.
- Ask about sealants. Most children benefit from sealants, which are protective coatings placed on the teeth to help protect them from decay. Ask your dentist if these might be a good preventative measure you could take to protect your child’s teeth.
- Avoid sugary drinks. Soda and fruit juice—and many sports drinks as well—are acidic and loaded with sugar. These two things together destroy teeth. Try to avoid them, dilute them, or at least rinse their mouths with plain water after use.
- Limit the sweets! Sugary and sticky foods produce plaque acids that cause tooth decay. Multiple exposures to sweets throughout the day is much worse than a dessert followed by brushing. So, when your child does indulge in a sweet treat, remind them to brush and floss after (or at least rinse with water).
What, ya didn’t know that I was obsessed with teeth? Smiles are one of my fabulous, hidden obsessions (blame it on my profession)… happy brushing.
Brighter.com is the simple, free alternative to dental insurance that has made price transparency and the need for more affordable dental care a mission and passion, especially for the 47% of Angelenos without dental insurance–that’s 4.7 million people in LA without dental insurance. Brighter.com has partnered with over 500 dentists in LA County, and has worked (much like insurance companies do) to pre-negotiate the prices of over 400 procedures so that when members book through Brighter, they save an average of 50% on any procedure (up to 70% on preventive procedures like cleanings). Membership is free. Brighter.com covers everything from preventive care to restorative work to cosmetic procedures (including procedures that insurance does not cover like braces and whitening).
