if you take your toddler or preschooler to the dentist

[WildFlower]

what do they do during a normal cleaning at this age? Dd has has prior cavities and issues so we've never been to a "normal" cleaning visit. in just about 2 weeks she has her first. The dentist did a cleaning under sedation when he fixed 4 of her teeth so we've not been through this before. She's been to the dentist office but always when there was a problem. She's been held down too many times and scared because of that. She's got a lot of anxiety about people she's not comfortable with getting in her space/face. I really don't want her to have a fear of dentists the rest of her life. She's not been to the dentist in almost 6 months and she's more mature now. So I am hoping that helps things go better.

I have a dentist appointment 1 week before she does and she'll go with me. So she can watch me have my teeth cleaned and see that it's ok. Maybe even sit with me in the chair.

My sister says they just brush their teeth, and look at them at this age. I think the dentist usually does fluoride gel too but not sure how that works. If it's just wipe it on, wipe it off, it might be ok. But she hates weird tastes/flavors.

Any tips on how to help this appointment go smoothly? I am ok taking things slow so she can get used to it. I do want the dentist to look though and make sure she has no new cavities. I am 95% sure he doesn't but would feel lots better knowing for sure. I feel like there's no way around holding her down so he can look though.

If you take your toddler to the denist did they cooperate and let a stranger look in their mouth or clean their teeth? Or did they have to be held down or held to do it?

[knitlove]

we didn't have Early Bird until she was 3.5, we tried once before but she was freaked out and so it was almost nothing. She had gone to several appointment's with me sitting on my lap while they did the cleaning.

What they did with her was counted her teeth and brushed them - they also did a small filling in her developmental grove that is on one of her front teeth. But that only append because she was really cooperative and when asked said that she could do that. The whole appointment was done with her on my lap.

[Aerynne]

At that age the kid sits on my lap facing me and the dentist sits facing me (dentist and I have knees almost touching) and we lean his/her head back onto the dentist's lap to check teeth. No dentist chair- dentist and I are on regular chairs. They don't clean the kid's teeth unless the child is willing. Fluoride is a flavored foam that gets brushed on (my kids already have fluorosis- no fluoride for them). I would honestly just do as little as possible (have the dentist check teeth, pick a prize, get a new toothbrush, and be done).

[cro]

Pretty much what Aerynne said. Child sits on my lap and leans back into dentist's lap. Dentist looks at teeth and counts them. If child's comfortable, they may clean; otherwise, that's it till next time. Most dentists I've encountered would much rather have short happy visits than push the child to the point where it's miserable.

Taking dd with you for your visit is a great idea. :tu My dd has always come w/ me & the boys for our appts and she couldn't wait till it was her turn! :giggle And when the boys were little, my cousin was in school to be a dental hygienist and needed kids to practice on. So we were lucky enough to have lots of low-stress practice runs before they ever went to a real dentist.

If it helps, my ds2 also had a lot of dental work early on - with a ped dentist we didn't like. Rough start. But now he (just like my others) loves going to the dentist! So there is hope. And it sounds like you've got a great plan. :hug

[MegMarch]

Mine's gone twice now at 2.5. DH and his family have crummy teeth so I wanted to be sure she was getting hers cared for from early on.

They did a big chair but were fine with me being there helping her out. Brushed, a flouride gel, check with the actual dentist.

To prepare her I told her the day before that the next day we were going to see the dentist. The dentist was going to brush her teeth and maybe even floss them and we practiced at home. "I'm the dentist, I need to brush your teeth!" She was really excited about it. I told her that when we were done she would get a sticker (I knew from the first time, no prep then because she was too little.) So we reviewed a few times- going to the dentist, get teeth brushed, get a sticker. We got there and she started getting nervous and cried a little and was upset about being messed with. She got her sticker and by the time we were in the car she was back to being happy about the dentist. I asked if she liked it or did not like it (something I ask her about stuff sometimes, she answers both ways, but she's two, so who knows?) and she said she liked it. She's spoken positively about it since and I can brush her teeth easily sometimes if I tell her that I'm going to be the dentist.

[MaySunflowers]

It might be different over here.... but I've taken mine every 2 months since they were 2. My daughter freaks out a bit but it is sort of the way she is. My son leaps into the chair with a big smile.

They just count their teeth, make a few comments, poke the little mirror in there, ride the chair up and down and get a sticker.

[mamacat]

When mine were younger we would play dentist at home sometimes.They would put sunglasses on and recline back and I would look at their teeth with a flashlight and count their teeth and clean them with small amounts of baking soda paste on soft toothbrush and doing gentle circles around gumlines to get any plaque,giving them times to spit in between

[Tandem mama]

At this age, they just brush her teeth with the stuff they use for a cleaning, look for cavities, count her teeth, and put a fluoride gel on. It's fast.

[WildFlower]

oh I really like the idea of playing dentist at home! We'll have to try that! In the past it has helped some in regards to going to the dr. Thank you all! I hope with time she will like going to the dentist ! It is encouraging to hear that even with dental work in the past she won't necessarily hate the dentist.