When Should Your Child Visit Your Pediatric Dentist in Lucas?

When it comes to caring for your child, one of your responsibilities is to make sure that his or her oral health is up to par. Therefore, you want to know when the best time is to schedule his or her first dental visit. Furthermore, you’d like to be made aware of any factors you should take into consideration before the initial appointment with your pediatric dentist in Lucas. Those answers are provided up ahead!

At What Age Should You Schedule the First Visit?

Once your child starts eating solid foods, he or she becomes susceptible to increased bacteria growth and the development of cavities. Therefore, your kid’s dentist in Lucas suggests you schedule the initial visit around the first birthday.

This will allow an opportunity for your little one to become acquainted with the office and staff. Furthermore, it’s a great way to plant a seed for what should become a life-long habit.

What Happens at the First Visit?

The procedures taken at the first appointment partially depend on your child’s age. For younger patients, the pediatric dentist will gently inspect any existing teeth and soft tissues to make sure there are no abnormalities.

Additionally, the specialist will provide important tips for how to encourage and help your child properly perform oral hygiene at home.

How to Prepare for the First Visit

To help in preparing your child for the appointment, here are some tips:

• Talk positively – For some children, the first dental visit can cause a slight degree of anxiety. Therefore, it’s important to use only positive language when referring to the upcoming visit.
• Take a pre-visit tour – To calm any apprehension, you can take your child on a pre-visit tour of the office so he or she can feel more comfortable with the atmosphere.
• Schedule a morning visit – For younger children, morning visits tend to work better. To make for a pleasant experience, it’s also a good idea to feed him or her a light breakfast, which can lessen any irritability or restlessness.
• Make it a special event – A final strategy to ease any worries is to create an eager anticipation of the first visit. You can use a simple tactic like allowing your little one to mark-off the days on a calendar to the initial appointment using stars.

Watching your child develop and grow before your eyes is one of the amazing aspects of parenthood. With the help of a Board-Certified children’s dentist in Lucas, you can rest assured that any of your child’s oral health needs can be met and corrected in the most comfortable and efficient manner.

About the Author

Dr. Russell Choy is a graduate of the University of Southern California School of Dentistry. He would later go on to earn his specialty certificate in pediatric dentistry at Tufts University in Boston. With his vast knowledge and years of experience, he is able to accommodate any needs that fall under the umbrella of pediatric dentistry at OPD Smiles. Dr. Choy can be reached for more information through his website.