There’s nothing quite like the excitement of witnessing your child experience things for the first time. From watching your little one take their first steps to seeing them walk around across the stage at graduation and everything in between, the excitement doesn’t seem ever to go away.

At the office of Dr. James C Ross, we think your child’s first trip to the dentist should be included on the list of exciting firsts.

How much do you know about that first appointment? Are you prepared? Let’s find out!

Preparing For Your Child’s First Dentist Appointment

There are several ways you can help your little one prepare for their first trip to the dentist. The most important thing to remember is to maintain good oral hygiene.

Oral Hygiene For Children

This begins even before your baby has teeth. You can gently clean their gums with a washcloth until their first tooth erupts.

Once you child has one or more baby teeth, use a toothbrush and toothpaste made specifically for children to gently brush their teeth at least twice a day. Make sure they’re brushing for a full two minutes!

Once they have at least two teeth together, remember to floss in between their daily. You’ll have to help your child brush and floss their teeth until they’re old enough to do it on their own.

Prepare Your Child For The Dentist

To help your child feel more comfortable during their visit to the dentist, talk to them about what they can expect. It’s a good idea to read books about going to the dentist and having your teeth cleaned.

You can also play pretend and have your little one practice opening their mouth wide for you to look inside. Talk to them about going to the dentist in a way that makes them look forward to the trip!

What To Expect At Your Child’s First Dentist Appointment

You can expect your visit to our office for your child’s first appointment to be pretty short. In fact, very little treatment is involved. Instead, the visit is more about making sure your child feels comfortable coming to our office.

Your little one will have an opportunity to meet Dr. James Ross and our staff in a less intimidating atmosphere. We’re used to working with kids and enjoy our time with them! We were even awarded the 2015 Metro Parent Magazine’s Mom Choice Award!

When it comes to the teeth cleaning, you can have your teeth cleaned first to show your child there’s nothing to fear. Or you can leave it up to us; we don’t mind at all!

During the dental exam, we will check all your child’s teeth and gums for decay and take a close look at your child’s bite. We’re looking for any potential problems in hopes to catch them early on. If your child tolerates a cleaning, we will thoroughly clean any existing teeth.

Before you leave, we’ll be sure to take the time to address any developmental concerns and answer any questions you may have.

Kid-Friendly Dentistry

At our office in Novi, MI, we offer the following amenities to ensure your child feels comfortable and relaxed during their visit:

  • Fun chair rides
  • Games and prizes
  • Soft blankets
  • Tempur-Pedic neck pillows
  • Virtual vision glasses so your child can watch DirecTV

It means a lot to us when your child is happy and comfortable. We want them to know that taking good care of your teeth is important and visiting our office is nothing to be afraid of.

Of course, we also want you to feel comfortable bringing your child to our office. We are more than happy to walk through everything with you to make sure you feel at ease as well.

To schedule your child’s first dentist appointment or your next teeth cleaning, call the office of Dr. James C Ross at 248-697-2487 or contact us online. We look forward to hearing from you!