Dearest Paolo and Suzi,

I have two daughters. One is 3 ½  years old and the other 1½ years old. They both have beautiful set of teeth and as much as I can, I want to maintain that. But with all the chocolates, cookies, ice cream and cakes they've eaten and with the Christmas season so near, I'm worried about their teeth. When should I schedule my kids’ first trip to the dentist? Will it be traumatic for them if I take them to the dentist too early? What will be the best time to introduce them to a dentist so that they will be more familiar with him?

Sincerely yours,
Esvimin C. Faelnar

Suzi says: Hello there Esvimin! It is truly important for you to prepare your children’s first trip to the dentist. I remember my sister who had to get a tooth extraction when she was very young. I think she wasn’t very prepared for the procedure so she got traumatized! She disliked our dentist for quite some time. And to think that our dentist was a family friend! But of course, since my sister is all grown up now, she’s finally recovered.

First up, check the bookstore for books about going to the dentist. There are a few that are really good reads. The stories are very entertaining. Get the kids excited about the activity. It will also help if you will tell them that you will also have your teeth checked too. That way, they know that you too will undergo whatever they will undergo. This will encourage your kids that it’s not big deal to see a dentist.

Also, choose a dentist that specializes in kids. There are some who have toys, books or even a television in their clinics. That way, the kids will be entertained. These things will distract them. The kids will surely also enjoy some of the contraptions in the clinic like the dentist’s chair, the water dispenser, among others.

Lastly, don’t hesitate to enlist the help of everybody. When you make the appointment, tell the receptionist that it will be your kids’ first time. Hopefully, that will also give the dentist enough lead time to prepare for your kids as well.

After a (hopefully) successful check up with your kids, be ready to reward them with stickers or new toothbrushes. Although some dentists really give these treats to kids, do bring some of your own rewards just in case. I hope these tips will be helpful to you!  Many thanks. Good Luck and Merry Christmas!

Paolo says: Hello Esvimin. Congratulations on your kids’ pearly whites! I’m so glad you are thinking about how to keep them that way and how to introduce them to the dentist as early as now. Kids (and even adults!) usually have a “built-in fear” of the dentist. And it’s understandable given all the gadgets and gizmos that the dentist has and all that awful drilling sound you usually hear when you go to a clinic. But if you start them off on the right foot, a trip to the dentist can be quite “painless.” Start familiarizing them with the dental clinic as soon as you can, even before they really need to go because of some dental emergency. That way, all their apprehensions about the dentist will  be gone.

We all have a fear of the unknown.

I suggest you start by finding a book or two about going to the dentist and doing some storytelling with them about it to give them an overview on what it’s all about. This eases their apprehensions of the “unknown.”

Next and perhaps most important of all, is to schedule a visit to the dentist before they actually NEED to go. Bring them along to the dentist and make their first experience fun! Let them see that there’s nothing to worry about. During this trip, ask your dentist to let them ride in the dentist chair that goes up and down. Let them gargle and spit etc. Keep the visit short and non-threatening, meaning the first time you go should not be associated with any drilling or painful/traumatic experiences.

Dentists will usually accommodate you and give your child a free toothbrush or stickers to name a few. to build rapport with your child. It’s important that your child does not associate his or her visit with any traumatic experiences.

Many clinics also cater specifically to kids now, with kid-friendly facilities that help make a child’s visit to the dentist less of a worrisome experience. Shop around for the right dentist until you find the right one that you and your child are comfortable with.

I also took my daughters along when I had a dental appointment and made sure that I gave them the impression that it was not an unpleasant experience for me. Small things like this can help reassure your child that there’s nothing to be scared of when visiting a dentist.

Of course good dental health begins at home, and it already sounds like you have good brushing habits. Keep it up. A visit to the dentist shouldn’t be anything to worry about if you’ve taken the time to prepare your kids for it, but the less you have to actually visit one...the better!