How to Prepare Your Kids for a Fun First Visit to the Dentist

Unfortunately, kids often don’t have great memories or positive associations with dentist visits. But that doesn’t have to be the norm! As parents, you play a huge role in preparing your kids to have fun visits to the dentist. 

So, let’s break the stereotype of negative associations with dentist visits! Here are three tips to help prepare your kids for a fun first visit to the dentist:

• Use positive language. When telling your kids what to expect for their first dentist visit, be sure to use positive language! Even if you haven’t had the best experiences at the dentist yourself, it’s sure to save you a headache if you don’t automatically instill that negative mindset into your kids. Having regular dentist visits is an important part of overall wellness. So if you get your kids to view the dentist in a positive light now, it’ll make your job that much easier when you need to bring them in for their 6-month check-ups in the future!

• Maintain an age-appropriate oral health routine. Making sure you establish an age-appropriate oral health routine of brushing and flossing for your kids from a young age ensures that their first dentist visit will go that much smoother. If your kids’ teeth and gums are healthy at their first visit, it should be easy to maintain a positive first visit.

• Try to prevent sucking habits. Stopping your kids from sucking on their fingers, thumbs or toys altogether will do wonders for their oral hygiene! Sucking habits can cause tooth decay or improper tooth growth. Which will mean more dollars and attention focused on correcting the oral damage from these habits.

Our team here at Hillcrest Dental would be honored if you chose us as your kids’ dentist office. We are highly skilled with over 30 years of experience and maintain a family-focused approach to building lifelong healthy smiles! Additionally, we offer a variety of dental services as well as check-ups to keep your oral health in great shape. Contact us at 931-552-2582 to learn more.