Tips to Having a Successful Back-to-School Dental Visit

back to school

Tips to having a successful Back-to-School Dental Visit

Backpack? Check. Booster shots? Check. Teeth cleaning? Check!
Regular dental visits are important year-round, but a back-to-school checkup is key in fighting the most common chronic disease found in school-age children: cavities. In fact, dental disease causes children to miss more than 51 million school hours each year. Even though going back to school looks a little different this year, scheduling your child's back-to-school appointment is still important.

Plan Ahead

Between cookouts, camping trips and everything else on your family’s summer bucket list, it’s easy for school to sneak up on you. Unfortunately, many parents may not think about making that appointment until late August, which is one of the busiest times of the year.

Encourage Age-Appropriate Dental Habits at Home

The best kind of checkup is a cavity-free checkup. Moms and dads can help make this happen by encouraging kids to brush twice a day for two minutes and floss once a day.

Ages 6 and Under
At this age, your child might want to do all the brushing herself but doesn’t have the fine motor skills needed to do a thorough job. Let them start and jump in when needed. 
Ages 7-12
By now, your child knows what to do, she just might not want to. Keep encouraging healthy brushing and flossing habits.
Ages 12-18
This is a critical time for dental health. Part of this has to do with the fact that teenagers may have gone for many years and never had a cavity. They don’t necessarily take care of their teeth because they don’t see the consequence of not.
Don’t let your teen’s habits become out of sight, out of mind.

Timing Is Everything

Time of day can make or break your child’s appointment. It’s important for a child of any age who’s used to a nap to not schedule during naptime. If your child is always cranky after waking up, factor that in too. 
For older children, avoid cramming in a dentist appointment right after day camp or school.

Make One Child a Model

If you’ve scheduled back-to-back appointments for your children, there’s a simple way to decide who goes first: Choose the child who’s had the most positive experiences at the dentist. Every child is going to be a little bit different in their temperament about how they approach a visit.

A Hungry Child Is Not a Happy Patient

Feed your child a light meal before the appointment. Hungry people are grouchy people. You want them to be comfortable.  Eating light is also better for a child with a healthy gag reflex.  Bonus points if your child brushes before an appointment.

Leave Your Anxiety at the Door

If your heart races at the very thought of the dentist, your child can probably tell. Kids pick up on parents’ anxiety.
The younger your kids are, the more you need to be aware of how you’re communicating with them. For example, if your child asks about getting a cavity filled, don’t say, “It will only hurt for a little bit.” Instead, encourage your child to ask the dentist. Dr. Esfandiari has kids and knows how to help them feel comfortable during their appointment.

Keep Cool If Your Child Won’t Cooperate

If your child gets upset during her visit, the worst thing you can do is swoop them out of the chair and leave.
First, assess why your child is acting out. Are they truly afraid, or are they trying to test the situation? Then, work as a team with Dr. Esfandiari to keep the visit going. Jump in where you think it helps most, while still allowing the dentist and your child to build a good relationship.

Take a Card (or Three) on Your Way Out

Accidents can happen whether your child is in sports camp, gym class or just walking down the street. In case of emergency, make sure your child’s teachers and coaches have all the medical contact information they need – including your dentist’s number. Grab business cards for your wallet, your child’s backpack and your school’s files.

Contact Us 

Dr. Frank Esfandiari makes it easy to get back on track if it's been a while since you've seen the dentist. You can make an appointment online by clicking here, or call us at 805-647-6100.

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