This week Aura had her first dental visit! She was just 2 days short of turning 18 months.
As a first time Mom, I had no idea at what age I was suppose to take Aura to the dentist for the first time. Honestly, I didn’t think it was going to be until she was much, much, much older.
“The Canadian Dental Association recommends the assessment of infants, by a dentist, within 6 months of the eruption of the first tooth or by one year of age. The goal is to have your child visit the dentist before there is a problem with his or her teeth.”
Well, that was new information for us! Aura currently has 12 teeth and the only reason why we decided to take her to the dentist was because she refuses to let us brush her teeth. Aura lets us brush her teeth for no longer than ummmmmm 10 seconds? Lol
This was really stressing me out as my mind kept taking me to the worst outcomes – what if she gets cavities? What if her teeth start rotting? What if they fall out?
I knew it was time for her to see a professional so I looked for a reputable local paediatric dentistry in my neighbourhood and made an appointment.
Due to Covid only one parent was allowed to go with Aura- so my Husband went with her while I stayed home and worked/wondered anxiously how the appointment was going.
The dentist asked about her history and habits (snacking, brushing, tooth pain etc) and then did a visual check (no x-rays). The dentist used the dental mirror tool to look into auras mouth and assess her teeth to look for plaque and cavities. During the checkup, Aura had her head in the Dentist’s lap (on a pillow) and Dada was holding her arms as she was wrapped her legs around his belly (picture below in footnotes for reference).
To our surprise Aura did not cry or fidget during the examination. She did whine, but she stopped as soon as it was over. The Dentist taught my husband a technique to brush Aura’s teeth efficiently (it is the same as the picture posted as used in the dental examination).
The entire appointment was approximately 15-20 minutes- definitely do-able! It always feels great to have a professional take a look at your children’s teeth and give their professional consult on what’s happening. These visits can help find problems early and help kids to get used to visiting the dentist so they’ll have less fear about going as they get older.
Aura still uses her pacifier to go to sleep only and we were advised to wean her off it by the age of 2. This is something we tried doing in the past but refrained since she had many other big changes happening at the same time (such as her bed transition). We will be working on getting her off the pacifier for bed time now too!
Aura left with a toothbrush for ages 2+ with a very soft bristle and some children’s toothpaste. We were advised to brush her teeth twice daily in circular motion.
A tip that many Mother’s have given me is to let them brush their teeth on their own first- and then brush it yourself. This gives the child a chance to practice brushing independently.
Some Dental Tips for Babies & Toddlers:
-Snack nutritiously!
use snacks such as: cheese, veggies, milk and hummus
Sugars in most snacks stick to the teeth and could lead to cavities.
-Avoid fruit juices which are high in natural sugars, candies, coated cereals, cookies and cake. (For obvious reasons). If they drink juice let it be in one sitting – not sipping for an extended period.
-Switch up the snacks you give your child. This will ensure your child gets a variety of nutrients and high fibre foods.
-Brush at least twice a day and floss at least once a day. Flossing should begin when the baby’s teeth start touching.
-Wean your child off a pacifier or thumb sucking before the age of 2.
-When your child is teething- but doesn’t have any teeth yet.. run a damp washcloth over their gums to clear any harmful bacteria
-Start teaching your child how to spit out while brushing
-Always brush at night AFTER they have finished drinking their milk
That’s all I got! I hope these tips help you.
I know a lot of mamas are nervous about taking their child to the dentist in fear that their child will scream and not sit still. Trust me, I was one of them! (Luckily, my Husband went 😉) but fear not! Paediatric Dentists are used to seeing children who are uncomfortable and nervous! The first step to your child’s oral health is ripping the bandaid off and seeing that dentist! I will keep you all posted with our brushing journey, it is just the beginning for us!
