Your child’s first dentist visit can be somewhat intimidating if the child doesn’t know what to expect. If you take the time to give a few details about what the dentist will do and what the office might look like, then it can make it easier on the child when it’s time to arrive.

Most dental offices, such as a Ocala pedatric dentist, have a website with pictures that you can show to your child. This won’t be the same as perhaps taking a tour before the first appointment, but it can give an idea as to what the dentist and the staff will look like and some of the decorations that might be seen.

Set up the first appointment as soon as the teeth begin coming through the gums. The dentist can examine the gums and the teeth that are present to ensure that they erupt properly. If the child is around the dentist from a young age, then it will be easier to go in the future as the child will be accustomed to everyone in the office and the sights and sounds of the environment.

Pretend that you are a dentist at home. Brush the teeth, floss them, and examine them like the dentist would do in the office. This can get the child used to someone else feeling around in the mouth and performing other types of work. Answer all questions honestly. Explain some of the procedures that might be done in the future if there are any cavities in the teeth. You don’t want to say anything that will frighten the child, but you want to make sure the child understands what could happen with an x-ray or nitrous oxide that might need to be used for relaxation during a procedure.

Talk to your child about the dentist offering a few different kinds of toothpaste and that the dentist will most likely only look at the teeth at the first visit. He will count the teeth and take pictures to make sure they are coming in as they should. One way to get your child used to going to the dentist is to let the child go with you to your visit. This should only be done as long as you are getting your teeth cleaned instead of getting a filling or another procedure.