Proper dental check-ups are important for the entire family. Good dental care begins long before children’s permanent teeth start to come out, and regular dental care teaches them to care for their teeth from an early age.
One advantage of going to the dentist as a family is that it can be reassuring for children who are anxious about the visit. Family dental visits also present a powerful model for children that demonstrates the importance of regular dental check-ups and cleaning. Making it a family affair demystifies the dentist and turns it into a routine visit rather than a scary, unknown prospect.
Dealing with Dental Fear
Despite these precautions, some children may still be afraid of dentists. This might be because they have had a genuinely painful procedure, or it might simply be a more general fear of the unfamiliar. Parents can help by finding a dentist who is good with children, and give the child a chance to visit the office and meet the staff and the dentist beforehand.
Talking about the dentist and dental care casually, and keeping children from hearing negative comments about dental visits are also important. However, parents should keep conversations about procedures simple. Too much detail may worry or confuse children. For some children, role-playing visits to the dentist in advance may help.
Restorative dentistry including extractions, fillings and other procedures are available to children. In some cases, even crowns and bridges might be appropriate for some. Stainless steel crowns on baby teeth might save teeth that are too decayed for a filling or protect the teeth if the child has poor dental hygiene. Space maintainers for children are more common than bridges. However, in rare cases, a child may have no permanent teeth in the jaw, and a bridge might be necessary.
Sources:
Fast Facts. American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry. 2014.
Oral Care for Children. Colgate.
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