We know how to care for your Kid’s teeth and more
If the age of the child and the level of child’s cooperation permit, our pediatric dentist would like to have radiographs during examinations to allow us to determine presence of decay in the spaces between the children’s teeth. Combination of visual oral examination and radiographic evaluation will give the pediatric dentist the most comprehensive findings. The examination will allow the pediatric dentist to evaluate kid’s level of emotional maturity and ability to receive treatment with or without sedation or need of referring the patient to a specialist.
Treating Children is very similar however very different from treating adults. Children usually have a shorter attention span and are more likely to get tired of a situation. They also do not understand why sometimes some work is necessary to be completed. We need to be patient and understanding of a child’s perspective. By using techniques such as Tell Show Do, we can tell our patients about what we are going to do, how we are going to do it, followed up by a demonstration as situations permit. Furthermore, simplified terminology within a child’s understanding is used. For example, administering the numbing medication, also known as Local Anesthetic injection or shot can be very nerve raking for both parents and children. We first demonstrate the topical numbing jelly and allow the patient to smell it. We dry the cheek with gauze or a little towel. Then we apply the jelly. The jelly makes their teeth sleep but we don’t know if the teeth are sleep or not because they don’t talk back. Hi teeth. Hello? They don’t talk. We need to give the child’s teeth a little pinch, just like the one on the hand. See. We ask the patient close his or her eyes. We don’t want water or air to bother the eyes. Oh goodness. We just remembered. We forgot to cut my nails this morning. Followed by praising the child for doing so well.
How can parents help their children feel comfortable at the dentist?
Parents can help by being positive. For example: This is going to be fun; The doctor is going to love meeting you; Mommy is so proud of you. Also parents can help by avoiding negative terminology.
For example: Don’t be scared; This is not going to hurt; It’s going to be over soon. By using negative terminology, the child unconsciously will be anticipating something negative is about to happen. He or she thinks “why did mommy say, this is going to hurt?” As a result he will be more anxious and apprehensive awaiting pain.
We Have a Kid’s Room
We try our best to provide an environment for our kids and their families that they can have a bit of fun in situations that are not in the child’s daily routine. Going to a dentist, depending on previous experience with a pediatrician’s office could be challenging event for a child. We hope that our Kid’s rooms with TV screens, huggable toys, allows mom or dad to stay with their child to reduce some of these emotions.