We don't usually take our dental health seriously. We'd just remember to visit out dentist once we experience toothache. So wrong!
I actually remembered that my first ever visit to the dentist was when I was 7 yrs old to have my milk tooth extracted. And for a very long time, I thought that dentists are there to remove your tooth. That's all.
Did you know that in 2006, it was revealed that 97.1% of 6 year old children suffer from tooth decay? Whoah! And I can't even remember any child I personally know who doesn't have tooth decay. Ganun sya kalala. So as a mother, I want to make sure that I don't take my daughter's dental health for granted.
So last May 17, at 14 months, we went to a pediatric dentist and the #FabSkye had her first ever dental check up.
Aaaawww.. Don't worry! That cry is only short-lived. Once she get up and received her balloon reward from her dentist, she was back to her happy self in an instant. She even gave her pretty dentist a high-five and lots of flying kisses.
I made this post to serve as a guide to my fellow mums. I know a lot of you have a lot of questions when it comes to you child's dental health too. I know the feeling! So I’ll try to answer some questions you probably have in mind.
When is the best time to bring your babies to a dentist?
Almost all of the reliable parenting sites and books that I read said that you should bring your child to a pediatric dentist by the age of 1. Or 6 months after the first tooth erupt. Yep. It may seemed too early but I know some kids get cavities as early as 2 yrs old. And it is best that we start them young. Have it checked. Personally, I think it would still make sense to have your 1 year olds checked by a dentist even if they don’t have much tooth yet. Skye had her first 6 tooth (yes, all of them erupted almost at the same time) when she was almost 11 months. So her tooth are actually super new when we went see her dentist but I still wanna make sure that everything’s normal.
How to choose a dentist for your toddler?
Actually, I am really in the look out for a nice pediatric dentist. I went to this mall dental clinic and inquired. I was advised to bring my daughter to their regular dentist for the initial assessment and then to their pediatric dentist. Which doesn’t make sense. So that means I have to pay for 2 dentists?! Thank heavens I saw a pediatric dental clinic! Yep, a dental clinic meant for kids! Yey! Although you could bring your child to a regular dentist, I still prefer a pediatric dentist because many dentists are not that familiar or comfortable with toddlers. I want someone who has more experience with toddlers. It’s a super plus point that a pediatric dental clinic are really designed for kids. They have a play area. The dentists and the staff are trained to deal with kids so they won’t get afraid. They have balloons ready for the kids as a reward. Making your child’s overall experience a whole lot better.What are the common questions asked during a pediatric dentist visit?
Of course we have to ask our child’s overall dental health status. Are the teeth growing correctly? Is it normal for my child’s age to have this much or this few teeth? Ask about your child’s oral habits like thumb sucking. How to care for your child’s teeth and mouth? When to use fluoride? Your child’s habit and diet that might affect her dental health. You could raise any questions actually and I suggest you list them down prior to your visit.
What to expect on your first pediatric visit?
Well, we first set an appointment. When we arrived on our scheduled appointment, I was asked to fill out some forms. Basic questions like my daughter’s oral health status was asked on the form. The assistant was a very nice lady who helped me thru the forms and made sure I answer them all correctly. Then we waited for our turn on the play area. During our turn, the dentist checked the #FabSkye’s mouth, teeth and gums (as seen on the video). I have to hold the baby firmly so she could check her mouth properly. Then cleaned the baby’s teeth a little and we’re done. A balloon was given to my daughter to pacify her. After that, the dentist and I discussed my questions about my baby’s oral health. The dentist also showed me how to clean my daughter’s teeth and how often. I was given basic dental health care procedures. I was advised what toothpaste to use for my baby. Since my daughter has very few teeth during our visit, they didn’t put fluoride on her teeth yet but according to her dentist they would put fluoride on our next visit. I was also told how often we have to visit them (every 6 months). And I was advised that we should drop by every time we are on the area (say hi lang and not really check up) so my daughter won’t forget them and be at ease on the place. Syempre nga naman 6 months of not seeing each other is too long. I love our dentist. She is sweet and nice and very patient with kids. She also answered all my questions patiently (believe me! I can be a pain in the a** especially when it comes to my daughter’s health. Lahat nalang tinatanong!) and she actually encouraged me ask more questions.
There you go! If you have any other questions, feel free to ask away on the comment section. I learned loads from our dentist. I would love to share them here but honestly, I would prefer that you go and see your dentist instead. Things like these are better handled by professionals.
Our kid’s over-all health is very important. Wag natin hayaan na may area tayo na ma-miss!
Milestones
Parenting Tip
Skye
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