Being a parent can be pretty difficult at times. There are constantly so many different types of advice coming at you from so many different perspectives, and it can be confusing trying to figure out what is ultimately best for your child. In the end, you have to make the tough decisions but know that in operating from a base of wanting your child to thrive, succeed, and be happy and healthy, you are doing the best that you can, and your kid is going to turn out just fine. Provide love, care, and comfort, and everything else will work itself out eventually. Though it certainly is one of those things that’s easier said than done, there’s another factor that might help to guide you.
As difficult as it can feel to be a parent at times, keep in mind that there are times that it feels very difficult to be a child, too. Prior to gaining the social, learning, growth, and adaptive skills to navigate life, there are a lot of situations that children just don’t understand how to cope with yet. This is where your love and guidance comes in. Remember that your kid feels pain, fear, and anger just like adults do, but without the ability to completely understand those things yet, especially as there is so much about the world in general for them to learn still. And as a child, there are few things that can seem scarier than a trip to the dentist, especially if that child has painful dental or oral issues.
Taking a trip to the pediatric dentist office
Depending on your level of experience as a parent, whether you have recently welcomed your first darling child, or you have a few already who have helped you learn the ropes and figure out a few techniques or tips, you may know how to deal with your child’s oral health. From the time they start teething, your child’s dental health can feel like a tricky thing to stay on top of. Lots of kids don’t like to brush their teeth, and it is every parent’s struggle to find the balance between a toothpaste that your child will actually want to put in his or her mouth, and a delicious toothpaste that he or she will just want to eat as a snack. It is important to start early with dental hygiene. Children should start making regular visits to the pediatric dentist office at the age of one. You will likely want to establish a good relationship with your child’s dentist, so that your son or daughter can feel at ease seeing how comfortable you are with the man or woman with the scary tools intended for the inside of your child’s mouth.
Trusted dentistry for kids
Finding a good first dentist for children might take a bit of investigative research and looking around, but remember that part of pediatric dentistry is being able to interact well with kids. With the right pediatric orthodontist, those dentist visits could quickly become a welcome task rather than a dreaded chore. The great thing about finding the right pediatric dentist office for your family is that, with that bond developed, you can feel more comfortable asking questions that you might feel like you should already know. Remember that when it comes to your child’s health and wellbeing, no question is a bad one. It’s better to educate yourself for your child’s sake than to guess and have them suffer the painful consequences.
Generally, unless your dentist or doctor instructs otherwise, your child should not be using fluoride toothpaste if he or she is still under the age of two. The most important thing that you can do is to keep up on those routine pediatric dentist office visits and home dental care, as kids who have less than ideal oral health are three times more likely to end up missing time at school due to oral pain and discomfort.
Yes, you will likely face a few tantrums when it comes time to brush and floss, but better to navigate those waters than to have your child suffer because of lasting effects of dental disease. Their healthy smiles will thank you for years to come.
