How To Choose A Kids' Dentist And Why You Should Choose Carefully
Children should start seeing a dentist regularly when they are preschoolers. It is important to choose a dentist for your children before they need to start seeing one. It is equally important that you choose carefully. Here is how to choose a child dentist and why you should choose carefully.
Choose a Dentist That Specializes in Pediatric Dentistry
Yes, your kids could see your dentist, but a lot of pediatric dentists specialize in helping kids because they are very good with kids. They are very patient, and they are willing to provide calm and soothing voices and environments for kids. These dentists have spent anywhere from an extra six months to two years in learning about the physical development of children, and the development of children's mouths and teeth, from toddlers to teens.
Additionally, a lot of the instruments and equipment are made to be kid-size (i.e., smaller to fit kids' mouths, with graduated sizes to fit bigger kids' mouths). This makes it easier to treat children's teeth and gums and make them feel less anxious in the process. When and if your child needs to be sedated, make sure you have selected a children's dentist that is able to do sedation dentistry in the office and not in a surgical suite in a hospital. (Sending a child into a surgical suite in the hospital tends to make them very afraid of dental procedures.)
Why You Should Choose Carefully
When you initially introduce small children to a dentist, it is all new to them. They may be a little scared, very nervous, quite uncomfortable about these unfamiliar adults sticking their fingers and hands in their mouths. When you have selected a good pediatric dentist, he or she can talk to your children on their level, putting your children at ease, and explain to them exactly what he/she is going to do before he/she does it.
You want to avoid any bad experiences in a dental office because this sets the stage for dental care for life. Kids who have had terrifying or horrible experiences in the dental chair when they are little typically grow up to be adults who avoid the dentist as much as they possibly can. That is not something you want to happen to your children, or to their future oral and dental health. Ergo, be sure to do "due diligence" when selecting a dentist for your kids.
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