Dental Tips for Parents

We love getting to treat children in our office, and children love our pediatric dentist, Dr. Noora Khadier. Here are some tips from our office on helping your children take care of their teeth.

Your Child’s First Visit

Some parents get over-anxious about their child’s first visit to the dentist. Worried, they go through a practice visit at home, trying hard to prepare them for what they worry may be a bad experience. These efforts tend to backfire because the children pick up on the parent’s anxiety and come to the office much more tense than if the parent had simply brought them in without any preparation.

It’s a good idea to bring in a child to see us once their teeth start erupting. Early visits will be very simple and focused on helping your child have a positive experience. What you don’t want is to wait until there is a problem. That carries a risk of breeding bad memories.

Dental Care Tips

• It’s best to brush for your children up to the age of eight. Sometimes they want to do it themselves and that’s fine. You can take turns. If they’re resistant, you can have a contest to see who can brush better.
• When they do start brushing for themselves there are lots of fun (and free) apps to help them brush for the right amount of time.
• They need to brush with a pea-sized amount of toothpaste, with a soft bristled brush, twice a day.
• Once the primary molars come in, their teeth should be flossed once a day. They’ll likely need help with that until about age ten.

Feel free to contact our office with any questions. If you’re ready to schedule an appointment for your child, call one of our offices or click here to request an appointment online.