A TRULY HAPPY VISIT
Children should have a dental visit 6 months after their first tooth erupts – or by AGE 1
At Lifetime Smiles Dental Hygiene Clinic, we want your child’s first dental experience to be a positive one. Our Hygienist’s intuitive nature guides how much is accomplished in this first visit. We call this first visit the “happy visit”, this appointment is to gain your child’s confidence and trust. Each child is truly unique, we will carry out different hygiene treatments for each child depending on how comfortable your child is. Treatment is never forced, as finishing everything is not the goal. The goal of the “Happy Visit” is to keep your child happy throughout this experience and share information with parents or guardians on how best to take care of teeth at this age. We encourage parents to stay in the room, or if you feel your child will do best without you, that is your choice. You know your child best.
WHAT HAPPENS AT A HAPPY VISIT?
First, we want to show your child the chair they will be sitting in, how is goes up and down, back and forward. We will show your child the gadgets connected to the chair such as the air/water syringe and the suction (aka Mr. Thirsty). It is very important for your child to see that the tools that we will use are simply to count your child’s teeth, which always proves to be a lot of fun. Next we will apply the disclosing solution, this is our plaque finder. Once this purple odorless and tasteless liquid is painted on the teeth, we can together, with a mirror in hand, evaluate where the plaque bacteria is “hiding”. After this is done, we have an opportunity to show both child and parent/s the proper brush technique and how to eliminate more of the plaque bacteria in the future. Polishing may come next which further eliminates plaque on the teeth and always makes for a few giggles. Our polisher is a cordless version which has proven very helpful for those children not interested in sitting the chair- and prefer sitting on Mom or Dad`s lap. It looks like an electric toothbrush which children are able to relate to. If age appropriate, and deemed necessary, fluoride (aka, tooth vitamin) can then be painted on, put into trays, or applied in the form of a mouth rinse. Lastly, the best part of the appointment, that well-earned prize, and picking out a new toothbrush!
As previously stated, every child will eventually have a complete dental cleaning, sometimes on the first visit and sometimes a child simply needs a few more visits to instill more confidence. We work with each child as an individual, and take it at their pace. We want every child to be excited when it is time to come see us again, and to leave our clinic with good understanding of why their oral health is so important, to be proud of their smile and most of all……we want them to have fun!
It is important for children to be seen by a Registered Dental Hygienist at an early age, to promote a less harmful population of oral bacteria and prevent tooth decay, and connect your family with other required dental or healthcare professionals, such as dentists, pediatric dentists,general physicians, and more. Today there are many dental hygiene treatments available to ensure a lifetime of “no cavities”. This is what we want for each child. At Lifetime Smiles Dental Hygiene Clinic we believe that cost of preventative treatment should not be a barrier to the beginning of healthy teeth and habits for children – if cost is an issue ask us about options in Calgary. There are plans that assist with dental cleanings for children, and if these do not apply we see children under age 3 for their first “Happy Visit” at no cost. Truly a “Happy Visit”
Call us (403)457-2044 to discuss your child`s first dental cleaning
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