What To Tell Your Child Before the First Visit

You can explain to the child that the dentist wants to be a friend and help care for his or her teeth: "At the first visit the dentist will count your teeth, clean them with a special, tickling toothbrush, and take some

pictures of your mouth." Never tell a child that the dentist will not hurt,

as this may have never entered the child's mind, but rather, that the

dentist will be very gentle.

 

 

The First Visit

The child's first visit is important for several reasons. In many instances,

it is the child's first experience with dentistry; in some cases, the child has had a previous unpleasant experience. Emergency problems will be dealt with first, and if your child is in pain, we will do our best to alleviate it. If there are no emergency problems, we will examine your child's mouth ( lips, cheeks, tongue, floor of the mouth, tonsil area, hard and soft palate), check the growth and development of the head, and check the teeth and gums. The child will receive a thorough cleaning and topical fluoride treatment, and we will take such x-ray films as necessary. We will evaluate any tongue, lip, cheek, or thumb habit that may influence the development of attractive teeth. We will also examine your child to

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