Children's Dentist In Calgary

The Canadian Dental Association suggests that parents should begin to think of taking their children to the dentist around the age of one, or when the first set of teeth begin to erupt. A child’s first dental appointment is important for several reasons:

1. It familiarizes them with the dentist’s office and introduces them to healthy dental care routines so that they can build healthy dental hygiene habits for the rest of their life.
2. After the initial dental exam and teeth cleaning, dentists and hygienists can offer suggestions to parents about any specific techniques children might need. This helps to avoid cavities and maintain healthy gums.
3. Starting kids’ dentist appointments early and returning for regular check-ups allows any problems to be identified and solved sooner rather than later.

You’ll likely schedule dental appointments for your children up to twice a year. More often than not, we hear that a child was nervous about visiting us. We’ve included a few tactics below to help you prepare your child for their first dental appointment:

1) Make a casual visit to our clinic without an appointment a few days ahead of schedule. Allow your child(ren) to spend time in the waiting room playing for a short while. This time will familiarize them with the area and toys in it.

2) Even if you think your children are too young to understand, explain the cleaning process. Give a demonstration using a toy so the kids know exactly what to expect. Begin with discussions a few days ahead and build up to the actual appointment day.

3) Arrive ahead of time! It also helps if you don’t have any other tasks planned for the day. You’ll feel relaxed and unhurried and relay your ease to your child. Make sure your child has the time to play and settle it until it is time for the appointment.

4) Lastly, we recommend bringing a much-loved toy along so they feel more secure. Or, bring along a familiar book that your kids can spend time reading while they wait for their turn.

Our dentist will take the time to hold out each instrument and explain what it does. She may also name each one like Whirry Head or Pointy Head. Playing games with mirror reflections and the sippy cup adds to the fun factor.

If your child has significant anxiety when visiting the dentist, we offer a few solutions. If your child is extremely anxious, we will provide a referral to specialists such as Pedodontists or Oral Surgeons who may use sedation. For mild to moderate anxiety, we can use nitrous oxide (laughing gas) in-office to help your child remain calm.