What to Expect at Your Child’s First Dental Visit

Meeting & Greeting the dentist, the hygienist & staff:

The first dental visit is usually short and involves very little treatment.  It gives your child an opportunity to meet the dentist, the hygienist and the staff.   You should expect the dentist or hygienist to do the following:

·   review your child’s medical history

·      respond to your questions and concerns

·      talk about your child’s overall oral health, including: development, teething, bite, oral habits, prevention of tooth decay, and other oral health issues

For more information on the first dental visit for your child, contact Dr. Anna Lee and her team today.

Preparing the Child for their First Dental Visit

Your child’s first dental visit can be very scary, but it doesn’t have to be. Follow these few suggestions in order to create a wonderful experience for your child.

·      Sneak preview of a dental visit- Some dentists tell the parents to bring their child in to watch or observe at their checkup and hygiene appointment. Most children love watching their parents getting their teeth cleaned.  Children often ask, “What are you doing?”  This is a good opportunity to talk to their children about the positive experience they have getting their teeth cleaned.

·      Read books/on-line resources- There are many children’s books and on-line resources about dental health and children’s first dental visit

·      Fill out dental forms ahead of time and prepare a list of questions or concerns for discussion

·      Make sure the child is well rested.  Schedule morning appointments

·      Bring an extra diaper and snack for the child

·      Bring a favorite toy, blanket or other familiar object. They help the child to know that the dental office is a comfortable and safe place

For more information on how to prepare your little one for their first dental visit, contact Dr. Lee and her team today.

When should it be the child’s first dental visit?

                            

Parents often ask, “When should I take my baby for a dental visit?”   The American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry (AAPD) recommends that your child visit the dentist by age 1 or within six months after the first tooth erupts. 

According to the AAPD, it is very important to keep primary/baby teeth in place until they are lost naturally.  The primary/baby teeth are important for these following reasons:

•      helping children chew properly to maintain good nutrition

•      involvement in speech development

•      helping save space for permanent teeth

•      promoting a healthy smile that help children feel good about the way they look

By providing your children with essential dental care from the beginning it can help your children develop healthy dental habits. For more information on dental visits, contact Dr. Lee and her team today.

Children’s First Dental Visit

      

Dr. Anna Lee and her team want to ensure that your children have the best visit possible. In order to ensure that she provides a great first experience.

Your child’s first dental visit should be special and memorable and it can even be fun.  One happy dental visit can lead to another happy visit. And a number of good dental experience may encourage your child to come back and continue a lifetime of good oral care and habits.

The purpose of the first dental visit is to learn about your child’s oral health and how to best care for the child’s unique needs before any problems occur. Many dental problems can be prevented or treated in the early stages.

For more information on your children’s first dental visit contact Dr.Lee and her team.

A Winning Smile for Every Athlete

                                      

Collisions happen to the best of athletes and injuries are sometimes unavoidable. Dental injuries are common, such as broken teeth/jaw, bleeding gums and lips.  Athletes of all ages need to protect their teeth from sport-related dental injuries as much as possible.  Here are some tips from Glendora dentists who care for athletes with sports-related injuries and other dental problems that can be prevented.

 Tips for Athletes retaining a Winning Smile from a Glendora Dentist:

1.     Wear a Mouthguard

·       According to the American Dental Association (ADA), an athlete is 60 times more likely to suffer harm to the teeth when not wearing a mouthguard.

·       Helps to cushion a blow to the face, minimizes the risk of broken teeth and injuries to the lips, tongue, face or jaw

·       Choose a mouthguard that is:

-resilient and tear-resistant

-fits properly and is comfortable

-easy to clean

-does not restrict speech or breathing

·       Types of mouthguards

-Custom-made: they are individually fabricated for fit and comfort of the patient.

-Boil and bite: can be bought at sporting goods stores and drugstores. They are softened in boiled water, inserted in the mouth, and allowed to adapt to the shape of the mouth.

-Stock: pre-formed and ready to wear. They can be bulky and can make breathing and talking difficult.

·       ADA recommendations: these are sports athlete may need a mouthguard

acrobatics

basketball                     bicycling                      boxing

equestrian events          extreme sports

field events                  field hockey                 football

gymnastics

handball

ice hockey                   inline skating

lacrosse

martial arts

racquetball                   rugby

shotputting                   skateboarding              skiing

skydiving                     soccer                          softball

squash                          surfing                        

volleyball

water polo                    weightlifting                wrestling

**Schedule regular dental checkups and visit your Glendora dentists to discuss the type of mouthguard that is right for you.

2.     Avoid Sports and Energy drinks

·       Survey by the Academy of General Dentistry (AGD) showed the high acidity levels in both sports and energy drinks cause irreversible damages to the tooth enamel. 

·       Large amount of sugar and acid in sports and energy drinks cause tooth decay and tooth erosion.

·       Athletes with dental problems suffer difficulties eating, sleeping, toothache, tooth sensitivity (hot/cold drinks & foods).

·       Dental pain can impact on training time and can hinder athletes overall performance.

·       Dr. Bone, an AGD spokesperson, recommends that patients should wait at least an hour to brush their teeth after consuming sports and energy drinks to reduce the spreading of acid which causes tooth erosion.

·       Drink WATER, it is the best.  Athletes should hydrate with WATER and avoid drinking sports or energy drinks.

**If your teeth are temperature sensitive, consult with your Glendora dentists.

3.     Good Dental Health

·       Athletes should brush 2x/day and floss daily.

·       Regular dental checkups and dental cleaning every 6 months (at a minimum).

·       Consult with your Glendora dentists if there is any dental pain/discomfort.  Dental problems can impact on training time reducing performance.

·       Athletes on a travel team, bring a travel bag with a toothbrush, dental floss and mouth rinse.

**Consult with your Glendora dentists about a healthy hydration regimen for your athletic work out.