You can start going to the doctor to take care of your child's teeth when he is 6 months to 1 year old, or when his teeth first child grows. Unfortunately, many children are afraid when they are going to undergo treatment at the dentist. Is your child one of them?
Dental care for children at an early age is good for assessing tooth growth and preventing tooth decay. Teeth, especially baby teeth, have a very important role. Besides being used for chewing food, milk teeth will prepare space for permanent teeth that will grow after the child turns 6 years old.
Children's Dental Care for the First Time
When your child first comes for a dental check-up, the dentist will make the examination as pleasant as possible. This is so that children are not afraid of the dentist.
There are several treatments performed by dentists on children during their first visit, including:
- Examine the child's teeth as a whole.
- Check if there are cavities or damaged teeth.
- Check the way the child bites, whether he needs to use braces, whether there are errors in the teeth, jaw, or tissue in the mouth.
- Cleaning children's teeth.
The dentist will also consider whether or not additional substances are needed fluoride. Fluoride can help prevent tooth decay in children by making the teeth more resistant to the acids produced by bacteria that stick to the teeth.
In addition to examining children, dentists will usually also provide education to parents about how to take care of their children's teeth at home. There are several things that parents should pay attention to in caring for their children's teeth at home, including:
- Brushing children's teeth regularly 2 times a day, in the morning and at night before going to bed.
- Give children a balanced nutritious diet, and limit sugary foods.
- Teach children to stop the habit of sucking their thumb or drinking milk through a pacifier, because this habit will interfere with the growth and development of the child's teeth and jaw.
Tips for Inviting Children to Check with the Dentist
When you visit the dentist for the first time, your child may feel scared because he doesn't understand what the dentist is going to do. Here are some tips to make your child's first visit to the dentist enjoyable:
- Schedule a visit to the dentist in the morning when mood the child is doing well, so the child will be more cooperative.
- Show a calm demeanor when at the dentist or when talking about a dental check-up.
- Don't scare your child by using a dental check-up as a threat if they misbehave. This will make the child think a visit to the dentist is a scary thing.
Try applying some of the tips above to make visiting the dentist fun for your child. No less important, give children an understanding of the importance of taking care of their teeth. But remember, don't use the dentist as a threat to get your child to take care of their teeth.
Written by:
drg. Viera Fitani (Dentist)
