When to take your child to the dentist for the first time and how to prepare him to avoid an unwanted reaction and a bad experience, advises Dr. sc. med Nataša Pejčić, dentist.
The first time - without a child
- In addition to the dentist and his team, parents also play an important role in planning the first visit. It would be good for the parents to come to the doctor's office themselves before bringing the child to receive precise instructions on the preparation of the child and advice on how to help preserve the health of his mouth and teeth. Even during pregnancy, it is very important to perform a detailed dental examination of the mother, correct any problems and instruct her on the importance of oral health, both hers and the child's - explains our interlocutor.
Practice: A place to explore!
The first visit should be precisely planned, prepared and implemented, in order to represent a pleasant experience for the child. He will have the opportunity to get to know the new environment, the dental team and the devices in the office, which can be very interesting for him.
- It is important that the first visit takes place in a relaxed atmosphere and that it represents a nice experience for the child. The importance of the first visit is reflected in the fact that children who had an interesting first meeting with a dentist later accept eventual dental treatment much more easily, with greater certainty and less fear, and prefer to come for regular check-ups - says Dr. Pejčić.
Dating, conversation and advice
The first visit should not take long. It would be best if she were dedicated to introducing the dentist to the child, talking about the health of the mouth and teeth and giving instructions for its preservation.
- The dentist can show the child the equipment and instruments, in an interesting and adapted way, take him for a ride on the chair, examine his mouth and teeth in detail, check if there is any problem, show the parents how to properly brush the children's teeth and gums and give answers to any possible questions. questions. During the first visit, the dentist can remove plaque from the child's teeth, which is an easy and completely painless procedure - our interlocutor points out.
An unpleasant experience
However, if it happens that the child comes to the office for the first time because of pain, the dentist must help him. This often leads to an unpleasant experience and remains in an ugly memory, which follows the child even when he grows up, so they avoid the dentist even later. Therefore, the child should be brought to the doctor's office before that happens. There is an opinion that a child should be taken to the dentist around their first birthday.
- Parents, relatives and friends must never share their unpleasant experiences from the dental office in front of their children, and especially they should not scare them with the dentist, injections, etc.
This can have far-reaching negative consequences in relation to the child's attitude towards dental treatment. On the other hand, positive examples greatly contribute to the safety of the child, as well as to better acceptance of dental interventions. Since children often imitate their parents, it is important for parents to have an adequate attitude towards oral health and to set a personal example for the child - advises Dr. Nataša Pejčić.
The opinion of the pedagogue
If you have a fear of the dentist - it is very likely that you will pass it on to your child. If you don't have it - it won't have it either. This means that there is no innate fear of the dentist.
First, not every visit to the dentist has to be painful. Also, whether fear will appear in the child largely depends on how you will prepare him before going to the dentist for the first time. It would be best for that first time to be when you go for a routine checkup. Then bring the child along, it is important that he sees that you are not in any pain - so that his first contact with the dentist will go as smoothly as possible. Inform your dentist in advance that you are bringing a child for the first time, so that he has the opportunity to adjust "softer", with more understanding.
In the preschool period, for the first meeting it will be enough to familiarize yourself with the instruments and the chair, which, fortunately, for many children represents real magic - because it moves, lifts, spins... Gradually getting used to the dentist means taking responsibility for maintaining hygiene and health. It goes without saying that every preventive examination will hurt less than an intervention, i.e. repair of an already painful tooth, so you should not wait for it to happen, but leave on time.
Be persistent and patient in preparing your child for such endeavors, because the relationship he acquires in the earliest period towards his health and its maintenance will remain as a lasting legacy. Doctors and dentists are very important, because the child will deal with his health condition and the health of his teeth throughout his life. Jelena Holcer, pedagogue
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