Preparing for the first dental visit with a pediatric dentist is easy.
Dental caries is a huge problem not only here in the Philippines but also around the world. According to the world health organization, 60-90% of school aged children have dental caries. It is the most prevalent oral disease especially in several Asian and Latin American countries. Here in the Philippines, dental caries prevalence among 5 year old children is at 87.7%.
It is a problem which can affect a child’s quality of life especially when the teeth become painful and cause issues with eating and sleeping. It can also be very costly for the parents to have it treated, particularly for a very young child who may need the aid of pharmacologic management either through sedation or general anaesthesia.
Though it continues to be a problem worldwide, it is preventable. That is why the recommendation of both the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry and the Philippine Pediatric Dental Society, Inc. is to have the child’s first dental visit by age 1.
The saying, "prevention is better than cure" is very applicable for the management of dental caries and it is for this reason why the first dental visit is by age 1. The main focus of having the first dental visit early is to teach parents ways in preventing cavities from what toothpaste to use, how to brush the child’s teeth effectively and efficiently and what habits to avoid which can contribute to the development of caries.
Preparing for the first dental visit with a pediatric dentist is easy. First, in order to have a more comfortable visit for the child, choose an appointment time which would not interfere with the child’s routine. For example, do not choose an appointment time which would coincide with the child’s nap time. It would also be best to have the child not too full since crying during the dental visit is normal and some children have a tendency to vomit when they cry.
During the first dental visit the pediatric dentist would do a quick oral exam. Proper tooth brushing will also be demonstrated to the parents in order to guide them on how to perform it at home. Fluoride treatment would also be done in order to help strengthen the teeth against dental caries.
After the oral exam, tooth brushing and topical fluoride application, the pediatric dentist would then discuss preventive strategies against dental caries and give appropriate recommendations depending on the dental status and treatment needs of your child.
