How to Prepare Your Child for Their First Dentist/Orthodontist Visit

If your son or daughter is feeling anxious about their first trip to the dentist, there are a few things you can do to help alleviate their fears. At Yousefian Orthodontics for Children, Teens and Adults in Bellevue, Washington, we love children and work hard to give them the best experience possible during their time with us.

Dr. Joseph Yousefian is a sought-after dental expert who travels the globe training, lecturing, and helping advance the field of orthodontics. He brings this vast knowledge and experience to your child and blends it with a fun and caring style that helps children relax and trust him.

He offers a few tips to help you prepare your child for their first dental visit:

Bring your child with you to your appointment

Bring your child with you each time you come to your dental appointment so they can see our clean and comfortable dental rooms, watch the high-tech equipment at work, and meet our caring team. Just this step alone helps them know what to expect and reduces the anxiety of the unfamiliar. 

It’s also helpful if you don’t talk about dreading going to the dentist. Instead, speak positively about taking care of your teeth with regular check-ups.

Talk about the benefits of dental care

You don’t have to give a lecture about the benefits of dental care, but consider sprinkling it into your conversation to help your child understand how dental health is linked to overall health. When your mouth is healthy, it:

• Boosts your memory
• Lowers your risk for a heart attack
• Reduces inflammation
• Reduces your risk for systemic infection
• Helps stabilize blood sugar
• Protects your pregnancy

Practice at home

Make it fun for your son or daughter by practicing brushing and flossing at home together. You can have a contest to see who can brush the longest or brush while his or her favorite song is playing. You may want to watch a few of the many YouTube videos that encourage good dental hygiene. As you practice at home, talk about how the next step in dental care is to see a dentist regularly.

Model healthy oral hygiene at home

Let your child observe you brushing after each meal, eating a balanced diet, drinking plenty of water, and flossing regularly. Provide a flossing demonstration that includes the following steps:

1: Wrap a section of dental floss around two fingers

2: Curve it into the shape of a half circle

3: Insert the floss between two teeth

4: Keep the floss in the C shape and move it up and down each tooth

Time it right

Timing is everything when it comes to bringing kids to the dentist. On the scheduled day, try to make sure your child is well-rested, fed, and you aren’t in a rush. 

Do something fun afterwards

It’s a good idea to tie a trip to the dentist with a fun activity. Consider stopping by the park or playground on your way home for a few minutes together before your next activity, or picking up fruit to make a smoothie when you get home.

To schedule your child’s first dental appointment with a team that’s passionate about dental health for kids, call our office request an appointment online.