Your Child’s First Visit to Tooth Town
We are excited to meet you and your child. We want to be your child’s dental home—a place he or she can count on for a fun and safe dental visit, and a place you can relax and receive helpful information about your child’s oral health.
When preparing your child, it’s important to remember that parental anxiety about dental treatment can transfer to your child, so stay positive! Use general terms, and tell your child that the dentist keeps your teeth healthy and happy and that we will be gentle while “counting” and “tickling” the teeth. We use many different words and phrases such as “brush” instead of drill, or “wiggle” a tooth instead of yank or pull. We don’t talk about needles or shots; instead, we prefer to call it “sleepy juice.” Most children tolerate dental injections well and usually don’t even know they received an injection, especially when they are calm and relaxed.
Tips and tricks to make your child’s visit a success:
- Stay positive
- Discuss the benefits of going to the dentist using positive terms
- Show your child our website so he or she can see pictures of Tooth Town, and our team
- Allow your child to bring his or her favourite toy, stuffed animal, or blanket to the visit
- Read books about the dentist