How to Prepare Your Child for a Dental Checkup

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As a parent, you naturally want to help your child stay healthy, and one thing you will need to do in order to accomplish that is take them for regular dental checkups. Your child’s dental health has a significant impact on their health overall, so it’s important to have their teeth checked regularly to prevent any major problems. Our team at Georgian Shores Dental Centre has extensive experience in working with children, and in this article, we will provide a few tips on how to prepare your child for their next dental checkup.

How to Prepare Your Child for a Dental Checkup

  • Prepare Your Kid Ahead of Time. When getting your child ready for a dental checkup, you should always tell them about their upcoming appointment ahead of time, especially if it’s their first time going to the dentist. We recommend telling them about their appointment a day or two in advance and taking the time to answer any questions they have. However, you should avoid going into too much detail, or mentioning things like drills, needles, or pain.
  • Play Pretend. Another thing you can do to prepare your child for a dental checkup is roleplay the process with them. Have your child sit in a chair, then play the role of the dentist, counting and brushing their teeth for them and talking about good dental hygiene. Then, swap roles, or have your child play dentist to one of their stuffed animals. This game will help your child know what to expect, which will help reduce any anxiety they may feel.
  • Stay Positive. If you have anxiety surrounding dentist visits, the most important thing you can do to avoid passing that anxiety to your children is to stay calm and positive. Avoid talking about your own negative experiences with dentists and do your best to put on a happy face during their checkup.