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Regular visits to the dentist are just as important as "well child" visits to the pediatrician for your little boy or girl. According to the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry, you should schedule the first trip to the dentist within six months of his first tooth or no later than his first birthday. There are a few steps you can take to help make this first visit to the dentist easier for you, your child, and your dentist.

Choosing a Dentist
When looking for a dentist for your child, you might want to consider someone who specializes in treating children. Pediatric dentists (or pedodontists) have two to three years of additional training and can care for children of all ages, from infants through teenagers. Their offices are cheerfully decorated and the doctors and staff are trained to work with young patients.

My children have a pediatric dentist. The office is definitely geared for little ones, with TVs showing animated movies or cartoons in the waiting room and a separate alcove with video games that they can play until it's their turn. For younger kids, there are children's books and toys. If little ones expend some of their excess energy by running around the carpeted waiting room, no one seems to mind. A cheerful hygienist calls my daughter's name and she is taken to a waiting chair complete with her own TV. A bench is placed against the wall under the TV so Mom can be there and answer and ask questions.

Preparing Your Child
Three things will help make your child's first visit a pleasant one. First, introduce your child to daily brushing as soon as his first tooth comes in. Before that, you can use a damp washcloth on his gums. Good dental health also includes eating a healthy diet to prevent cavities.

Next, practice what will happen at the dentist's. You can pretend that you're the dentist. Ask your child questions about her brushing habits, and look in her mouth. Your can switch roles, so that you're the patient and your child is the dentist, or your child can practice on a teddy bear. If your child is older, you can ask her if she has any questions.

Third, be mindful of how you talk about going to the dentist. If you make an effort to prevent transferring any anxiety you may have to your child, it'll be easier on you and your child's dentist. Let your child know that you are taking him to someone who will look at his teeth. A one-year-old doesn't have a huge vocabulary, but if you sit down to talk to him in a calm tone with simple language, he will understand that you're driving to a place that will help him take care of the teeth he'll have when he's a big boy.

Going to the Dentist for the First Time
On the actual day of your first visit, you may want to bring one or two favorite toys or books to keep your child occupied in case there's a long wait. The first visit is basically a time to get to know your child's dentist (and decide if you and your child are satisfied with this dentist and his/her practice). You may be able to hold your child during the first exam if she is anxious. Your one-year-old probably won't remember her first visit to the dentist, but a good first visit could mean that future visits to the dentist will be pleasant and tear-free.

Learn more about this author, Nadine Odo.
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