How do you make a trip to the dentist okay for a 3 yr old??

Question

I need to take my 3 yr old to the dentist. How do they treat such a little guy? It isnt like they sit there and open up! I had an apt last week, and in the waiting room, another mom told me they strap them into the chair! Do they really do that?? Then the dental asst. told me I could not go back with him! Like I am going to hand some stranger my baby! Help! I dont think he has any cavities, but is it safe to wait until he is older & understands?

Answer 1

A common question new parents have is "When should my child first see a dentist?"
The short answer is "First visit by first birthday," according to the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry. America's pediatricians agree. The American Academy of Pediatrics suggests that children who are at risk of early childhood cavities should visit a pediatric dentist by age 1. Although the idea of such early dental visits is still surprising to many new parents, the infant visit is endorsed by leading national public health groups.

More than 1 in 4 children in the United States have cavities by the time they are 4 years old, sometimes as early as age 2. To prevent early childhood cavities, parents first have to find out their child's risk of developing cavities, then learn how to manage diet, hygiene and fluoride to prevent problems before they start.

But cavities aren't all that parents need to learn about their child's dental health. The age 1 dental visit lets parents discuss:

How to care for an infant’s or toddler's mouth
Appropriate use of fluoride for your child
Oral habits, including finger and thumb sucking
Ways to prevent oral and facial accidents and trauma
Teething and developmental milestones
The relationship between diet and oral health
After this first visit, the dentist will suggest a schedule of follow-up visits. In the past, dentists typically recommended follow-up visits every six months. Now, dentists are increasingly tailoring children's visits to their individual needs and risks. As your child grows, the dental team can share information that will help you prevent common oral problems.

Choosing a Dentist for Your Infant
In recent years, most dental schools have prepared new graduates to provide care to young children. But many dentists are less familiar and less comfortable with infants and toddlers.
Here are two ways to find a dentist who cares for young children:

Call the dentist's office and ask, "At what age does your office recommend that children be seen for their first dental visit?" Look for an office that suggests your child be seen when the first tooth appears or by his or her first birthday.
Look for a pediatric dentist who specializes in the care of young children. To find a pediatric dentist, ask your family dentist for a name, check your local phone book or go to the Web site of the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry at www.aapd.org and click on "Find a Pediatric Dentist."

Preparing for the Age 1 Dental Visit
The age 1 dental visit is all about learning about your child's oral health and how to best care for your child's unique needs. It is about establishing a relationship with a dental office you feel comfortable with and trust and having your questions answered.
The best way to prepare for your child's age 1 visit is to consider what you want to know, what you want to look for and what you should expect.

Be prepared to ask about any concerns you may have. Be prepared to look for an office that is:

Child and parent friendly
Knowledgeable about young children's oral health, growth and development
Responsive to you
Gentle and kind toward your child even if your child creates a fuss when the dentist or hygienist looks in your child's mouth
Focused on your specific child's needs
Specific about recommendations about how to care for your child's mouth and teeth and shows you how to do so
The right office for you and your child will also:
Tell you how to reach the office in case of an accident or dental emergency
Make specific recommendations about regular follow-up care
Tell you about what will happen next in your child’s oral development
Help you to guard and promote your child's oral health
Dentists and pediatricians are calling this type of office a child's "dental home."

Also be prepared to hear your child fuss during the oral examination and toothbrush demonstration. However, parents are often surprised at how often infants are very passive and quiet and appear to enjoy the attention and novelty of the visit.

If possible, ask another adult to come with you to the visit, especially one who shares responsibility for caring for your child. Since you want to be free to talk comfortably with the dentist or hygienist and to focus attention on your child, it is best to not bring other children along at this first visit. Bring along an extra diaper and snack for your child, as well as a favorite toy, blanket or other familiar object that helps your child know that the dental office is a comfortable and safe place for him or her.

To save time and make the first visit easier, ask the dental office to mail you all the office forms you will need to fill out. The forms may offer the chance to list questions or concerns you may want to discuss at the visit.

What To Expect at the Office
The age 1 care visit is similar to a well-baby check at the physician's office.
At the visit, you should expect the dentist or hygienist to:

Review your child's history
Respond to your questions and concerns
Talk with you about your child's overall oral health, including:
Development
Teething
Bite (how your child's teeth will come together)
Soft tissues such as gums and cheeks
Oral habits such as sucking
Cavity risk factors such as diet, hygiene practices, fluoride use and whether others in the family have had cavities
How to prevent trauma to your child's mouth
Thoroughly examine your child's mouth in the knee-to-knee position. You and the dentist sit on chairs facing each other. Your child sits on your lap, facing you. You then lay your child back with his or her head in the dentist's lap so that both you and dentist can see clearly into your child's mouth and your child can look up at the parent.
Demonstrate how to clean your child's teeth and give you a chance to practice
Make specific recommendations about home care, including hygiene, diet and use of fluorides (including toothpaste)
Tell you what to expect as your child grows and develops in the coming months
Suggest a schedule for follow-up care
The dentist or hygienist may also clean your child's teeth, particularly if your child's teeth have a stain that commonly appears in infants. The dentist or hygienist may also apply a topical fluoride preparation, particularly if your child has a higher risk of developing cavities.

Before leaving the office, you should have a clear idea about your child's development, your responsibilities and follow-up care by the dentist. You should have your questions answered, have a good idea of your child's likelihood of having a problem with cavities and bite, and know what you and your child's dentist can do together to make sure your child has excellent oral health.
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#1: Another tip is to see if you can visit the dentist/dental clinic with your son before your actual visit so that your son will be comfortable. They treat them just like any other patient. The younger the child easier the experience will be for them. Treat this visit like the pediatrician. Infact I call the dentist the tooth doctor...
2: The only time that they "strap" or restrain the child is during a procedure like a filling or even a cleaning. Most of the time the child is fine with the procedure and will just chill.
3: Some clinics have the policy of the parents not going with the child because it freaks the child out more. They can sense the stress coming off of mom and dad. If this is the policy of the clinic you're going to than go to a different dentist or see if you can sneak and watch from the hallway or something.
4: Prevention is better than comprehensive work. A child is never too young to get cavities or even needing root canals. It's more traumatic to see the dentist the first time and needing a root canal then going for exam/cleanings.
5: 99% of the child dental "fears" stem from their parents misconceptions. See a pedodontist (works with children just like the pediatrician) who specializes in children dentistry. They know how to deal the children and make them comfortable.

Answer 2

If the dentist straps him to a chair, do NOT take him to that dentist! That is totally inappropriate. For such a young child, they just examine their teeth, but they don't do very much. It's really just to make them comfortable with the dentist and dental exams. A good dentist for children should actually be comfortable with children - you may want to get a recommendation from a friend. And yes, you should be able to go back to the exam room with the child! If they say you cannot, then do NOT go there! They should not have anything to hide! Don't wait - but DO find another dentist. This one doesn't sound good to me, at least not for kids!

Going to the dentist should not be a scary experience.

Answer 3

Ok, This is what I did with my daughter. She was 3 and a half when I made her very first appointment with the dentist. When I knew when the appointment was, I showed her on the calendar, and made it sound like a "fun" thing. Like, " On this day, you get to go to the dentist!" and "They're going to look at all your nice teeth and make sure the sugar bugs haven't hurt any of them." I took her to her appointment, she was a little nervous because it was her first time, BUT, I let her go alone (she wanted to) with the nurse and they looked at her teeth and I went back after the check up and they bragged her up to me (in front of her) and she was so proud of herself! She had a cavity that needed to be fixed and they fixed that for her too, I got to stay with her for that, but she didn't even need me! She sat there SO good while they gave her the needle and fixed her tooth. Not a peep or even a flinch when she got the freezing or anything. She was so happy because she was such a "Big Girl". You do whatever your child is comfortable with, if he wants you with him, go with him, if there's any problems, find a new dentist. As with most, (not all) kids, they do follow instructions and do better while they are with someone else, but then some kids need the added security that Mommy is there if they need you. And as far as strapping a child into a chair, I think that is probably illegal and wrong all together. If you would like to wait, you could always take him to a Flouride Clinic. If you contact your local Public Health office, or even talk to the health nurse that does his vaccinations, they will be able to point you into the right direction. The Dental Health Nurse will look at his teeth, brush them with flouride, and if needed, refer you to the dentist. Good Luck, and remember, it's never as bad to them as it is to us!

Answer 4

My son has been going to the dentist since he got his first teeth. But in August he fell in my inlaws shower and knock a root out of "socket" but the tooth was uninjured. It was really bad. They thought he had broken his palette. And although he was bleeding and crying so much because he was in so much pain they were SO great with him. They never once pushed him.

By law (federal not state) if you child is under age 8 there has to be a guardian go in the exam room with them. I suggest you do your research before you pick a dentist for your child. Ask them what their rules are on parents being in the room with their child. Ask them if they use any form of restraints. Make sure your pick a PEDIATRIC dentist. Do no pick a regular dentist. Chances are they will not be as patient and understanding. Plus pedi dentist offer all the cool things like flavored gloves and cleaners. Most even let the children pick what flavors they want. If ANY dentist tries to restrain your child you know that dentist is NOT right for children, and start searching elsewhere for a replacement. You want your children to think the dentist is a great place. It really protects their mouths and smiles. You don't want them to associate it with being strapped down with metal devices holding their mouths open while they scream. It is just NOT good.

Every child should see a dentist ideally within the first few weeks after getting their first teeth, but if you have waited, do not wait anymore. If you son is 3 (mine will be in 2 weeks) you have waited too long but he should be ok. Make sure when you pick a dentist you let them know that.

I suggest after brushing your child's teeth you give them water to swoosh around (just as adults do mouthwash). Lucky for me my son was wanting to use mouth wash about a year ago. We started him on water to insure he would not swallow. The we use Crest ProHealth. It has all the benefits of listerine without the burn. The green on is less intense. It is still a bit strong for my son so we dilute it half and half (turns a bit blue). Thankfully for us he was on a mouthwash routine already so when he got hurt it was very essential that he used mouthwash 5 times a day to prevent infection.

I suggest you look right away for a dentist. Also ask the office if they have networking with other pedi specialist. Just in case an accident DOES happen you want to make sure all your child's records can easily be transferred. And not only that, you want to make sure that accessing a specialist when you need them by a simple call to you dentist. You don't want to have to make 20 calls and be flipping through yellow pages when you have a crying or bleeding child in your hands.

Good luck. Protect that beautiful smile!

Answer 5

Play dentist with toys. Get out a toothbrush, and clean his bear's teeth, or GI Joes... Take him with you, and let him watch you get your teeth cleaned.

My dentist has never strapped children into the chair to do an exam. That's traumatic and horrible. Talk to your dentist first, and find out how they handle small children. If a young child needs work that serious, he or should should be sedated under the watchful eye of a pediatrician or put under anesthesia. Your son shouldn't need serious work right now anyway. They should just brush and polish, and not really get too involved in cleaning with instruments. Right now, they need to make sure that his teeth are getting cleaned properly, and he has no major issues. This is the time to establish good habits and build trust, and if he knows you trust your dentist, he will too. If you have problems trusting your dentist with the care of your child's teeth, or doubt their approach, find a new dentist. Many out there specialize in the treatment of children. Good luck!

Answer 6

I took my daughter to the dentist at 2 and a half months. They were really gentle with her and gave her stickers and a new tooth brush and had me sit in the chair with her in my lap. This is usually the norm at the dentist office for small kids. I don;t know what dentist you went to but you should find a better one. Kids should go to the dentist around 2years for a checkup on developing teeth.

Answer 7

If you are taking him just for a check up,he will be fine.All he has to do is open his mouth,let them look and get a sticker on the end.Tell him about that,get him all prepared.Never send your child alone,go with him for a support and confidence.Do not let them work on him on the first day.Yes,they do strap them dawn,just like a prisoner.Never,ever let them do that to your child.Once they have a bad experience,it will stick with them for the rest of their life.I can tell you very scary stories about that.If he has cavities and needs work done,make another appointment and ask for sedation.It's a liquid that will put your child to sleep.He won't even know what happened.Most insurances don't pay for that.Please,please pay for that,it's only $ 50 dollars.If that happenes tell them to finish everything,i mean fix all his cavities in one visit.So,don't send your child alone inside ,and don't let them strap him dawn.Those days are over.

Answer 8

well id go to a dentist that specializes in pediatrics. they are well a were that little kids wont sit still and they are more patient and will be alot easier with your child than just a dentist. my son has had 2 cavaties and he did really good. and they the dentist and assistant was really good with him. and to help get him comfortable just explain to him you are taking him to someone to have his teeth looked at. id say tooth dr. if your sons not scared of going to the dr. but most kids are afraid of the dr. just tell him someone is going to look at his teeth and all he has to do is open his mouth and let them look. i started explaining to my son the day i made the app. and kept reminding him and talking to him about how they would count his teeth to see how many he had and little things like that all the way up to the day he has to go that way he know a little of what to expect. and wont be as scared.

Answer 9

Our dentist suggested that we bring our kids in with us to our appts so they could get to know the Dr, and feel safe in the office. After our appts, she lets our daughter sit in the chair, and the dentist puts the mirror in her mouth to see how she will tolerate it. Our daughter is almost 3 and thinks the dentist is "cool" now. She lets them touch almost everything, and lets them ask a lot of questions. Find a dentist that will let you go with your child until they feel comfortable being alone.

Answer 10

most places so what they call a happy visit and show them how things work and let the child play with things and my dentist he even let my some act like the dentist first then Aden let the dentist look at his and even drill the reason u can't go back is most kids r better without a parent there,

Answer 11

First of all, find a dentist who specializes in doing little kids teeth. You can go back with them! At least at mine you can, and they are very patient with little kids. Don't wait you want to get him checked so if there are any problems you can fix them right away. It is nervewracking but you will be fine.