Has your child’s first tooth started to erupt? Then it might be time to call your Amherst children’s dentist.

There are so many milestones to look forward to in your child’s life: their first steps, their first words, their first birthday and even their first trip to visit their Amherst, NH dentist, Dr. James McAveeney and Dr. Andrew Cheifetz. We know that the dental office may not be everyone’s favorite place to be, but start making these visits a bit easier by finding out when you should start taking your child to our office for care.

While many Americans wait until their children is around 2 years old to start bringing them in for regular dental visits, we highly recommend that you start doing this even sooner. Your child should either start coming in to see us every six months beginning at the age of one, or by the time their first tooth erupts (whichever milestone happens first).

How to Keep Your Child Calm

If your child has been seeing the dentist by the time they were one year old then they were probably too young to feel anxious. However, if you’ve waited until your child is a bit older then they may be a bit nervous. Here are some ways to make sure that your child’s first dental visit goes smoothly:

Prepare them for what might happen: Let them know that we will need to peek inside their mouths and check the health of their teeth and gums. Let them know that there may be new people, dental tools used and even different noises that are foreign to them but that they are completely safe in our hands.

Do a little research: There are some great sites that make learning about your teeth fun for the whole family. Make time to sit down with your little one and peruse the Internet for fun videos, at-home activities and other ways to get your child amped up about their oral health and about visiting the dentist.

Role-play the dental experience: One of the scariest parts of going to the dentist is a fear of the unknown and what will happen. So one of the best ways you can prepare your little one is to play dentist with them. Take turns playing dentist and patient with your child and make sure to examine their teeth so they will get an idea of what their first dental exam might be like.

Bring activities to keep busy: While we never like for our patients to have to wait too long in the waiting room, this is often the time children start to get a bit nervous. Bring coloring books or books you can read together, as well as toys or games that keep them engaged and having fun rather than stressing out over their impending visit.

Is it time to schedule your little one’s next dental visit in Amherst, NH? Then turn to the pediatric dental experts that you can trust at Children's Dental Center of New Hampshire.