Reasons to See a Pediatric Dentist During a Child's First Year
As a new parent, your child's oral health is paramount. It is especially the case if you consider that poor oral hygiene can hurt your kid's overall health. Unfortunately, most new parents think visiting a dentist within the first year of their child's birth is too early. However, nothing could be further from the truth because it is never too early for your child to see a dentist. This article highlights the reasons you should take your child to a paediatric dentist during their first year.
Specialised Training
Like professional athletes work with sports podiatrists or nutritionists, so should your child see a paediatric dentist. The reason is that a paediatric dentist undergoes extra training to ensure specialised service delivery. Moreover, a paediatric dentist knows how to make children feel comfortable. In fact, most parents are surprised when their kids develop a long-lasting relationship with their dentist. Such a client-dentist relationship is vital since it gives your child a positive first dental experience. Most importantly, it goes a long way in helping your child develop good oral health habits early.
Child-Centric Equipment
The first visit to a dental clinic can be nerve-wracking for most adults and children. A big part of the anxiety comes from dental equipment, ranging from drills, scrapers, extracting forceps and periodontal probes. While an adult can withstand the sight of such instruments, many children cannot. Professional and experienced paediatric dentists know this and use child-centred dental tools to make kids as comfortable as possible. For instance, something as simple as brightly coloured gloves, instead of plain white gloves, is enough to excite kids. Similarly, paediatric dentists cover the handles of their equipment with multicoloured silicone accessories to achieve the same effect.
Creates a Child-Centred Environment
Imagine walking into a dental clinic and hearing another child crying inside the exam room. Of course, your child will become anxious and probably start crying too. In this regard, paediatric dentists will do everything within their power to make sure that their clinic is as child-friendly as possible. It begins by employing staff, from a receptionist to a hygienist, trained in handling children. A paediatric dentist also creates a child-friendly waiting room by equipping it with various toys, exciting books and a TV set playing cartoons on a loop. A child-centred environment keeps kids preoccupied, ensuring they have fun from when they walk into a dental clinic to when they leave.
