Tag Archives: pediatric dentist

concept for how to prepare for your childs first dental appointment

How to Prepare for Your Child’s First Dental Appointment

Pediatric Dentistry, ,

Pediatric dental care is an essential part of your child’s health care routine. However, it is notoriously hard to keep a child calm at a dental office. In this article, we discuss how to prepare for your child’s first dental appointment so that it is successful and productive.

How to Prepare for Your Child’s First Dental Appointment

Visiting a dentist with a child might be challenging. Children can be naturally worried or anxious about new people, especially when it comes to invasive procedures. Thus, it is important you prepare your child for their dental appointment. This way, you can help your child feel calmer and less scared and have a more productive and quick visit overall.

Another reason to prepare your child for their dental appointment ahead of time is to help them feel safe and secure during the procedure. The lack of negative emotions during their first dental visit will help them develop a positive attitude towards visiting a dentist and form good dental habits for life. Children who have a very negative first dental visit experience might form dental anxiety that will turn all future visits into an ordeal.

To make sure that the child is prepared for their first dental visit, you can explore several tactics:

Explain to Your Child What the Visit Is for

Use simple child-friendly words to explain to your child the purpose of the visit and what the doctor is going to do. We all fear the unknown, and having some information and understanding of the procedure in advance can help your child feel more prepared and calmer.

Play Games

Try using toys to role-play a dental visit. You can switch roles with your child and have them pretend to be both a patient and a doctor. This way, you can help your child familiarize themselves with the procedure and make them feel more optimistic about it.

Read Educational Books with Your Child

There are many picture books about dental visits available on the market. Pick a couple that look nice and friendly and read them with your child before the appointment. Seeing sweet and relatable characters going through the same experience will help your child feel more assured.

Use Positive Reinforcement

Avoid scolding your child for not wanting to go to the dentist or being capricious. Also, never threaten your child with a dental visit in case they refuse to brush their teeth or eat too many sweets. Such tactics will only make your child more anxious.

Instead, show your child that you have a positive attitude towards dental visits, tell them about the help dentists provide, or share stories about your good experiences. You can also praise your child for being brave and going to the dentist.

Promise Your Child a Reward

Schedule something fun to do with your child after you visit the dental office, or promise them a reward. This way, your child will have something to look forward to, which will motivate them to go through the appointment and not feel like they are being tortured without a reason.

Take Your Child’s Favorite Toy to the Office

Contact your dental office in advance and ask if you can bring a toy to the office. Typically, your dentist will allow it or have some toys in the office to help calm the child. Having their favorite plush friend near might significantly calm your child’s anxiety.

Stay Calm

Children tend to reflect the feelings and behavior of their parents, so it is essential that you stay calm, composed, and positive. Feeling your assurance, the child will feel safer, too, and thus less anxious about the visit.

Choose the Right Pediatric Dentist

Choosing a reliable and friendly pediatric dentist is vital when it comes to having a successful dental appointment with your child. Pediatric dentists are specialists specially trained to work with kids and know what language, gestures, and techniques to use to have a child feel safe and stay optimistic. Going to a dentist who knows how to work with kids will also ensure that the visit is productive and efficient and all the required procedures are done so you do not have to pay for a second appointment to finish the job.

Make an Appointment Today

Do not hesitate to call our pediatric dental office in Los Angeles today and make an appointment with a friendly family dentist. Our specialists strive to provide a stress-free environment for patients of all ages. We are looking forward to welcoming you and your family to Samaritan Dental.

Toddler girl holding cheek in bed

Toddler Teeth Grinding: Should You be Worried?

Pediatric Dentistry, , , , ,

It’s not only adults who can develop a habit of grinding their teeth at night — toddlers can too. Have you ever noticed your child moving their mouth around at night or heard the click-clacking of their teeth? This may be a sign of toddler teeth grinding at night.

This activity can usually start as young as 6 months old or whenever their teeth start to come in. You don’t have to worry too much about your baby experiencing stress as the cause of the grind because it’s usually just a result of them trying out their new teeth. However, it’s still important to get your toddler into an appointment with a pediatric dentist to help diagnose and treat the problem. Here are some things to understand about toddler teeth grinding.

Why Toddlers Grind their Teeth

Grinding teeth isn’t completely uncommon for toddlers — about 3 out of 10 children develop this habit. There are a few possibilities as to why toddlers grind their teeth including the fact that they just got these new chompers in their mouth and they’re likely just testing or feeling them out.

Other reasons could be that their teeth aren’t properly aligned or they’re doing it as a way to relieve some type of pain either from their teeth or ears. Stress and anxiety could also be a factor, especially if the baby is undergoing a big transition in the home. This is why it’s really important to make sure the toddler is participating in enough soothing activities. In more serious cases, it may be a result of a specific medical condition or a medication they’re taking.

The Effects of Toddler Teeth Grinding

In most cases, toddlers will grow out of grinding their teeth as their baby teeth fall out and new teeth come in. However, if their jaw or teeth are misaligned they may continue this poor habit into adulthood. This can cause the breakdown of enamel, headaches, and jaw pain. If the problem persists and your child becomes irritable from the pain, it’s important to take them to a pediatric dentist to see what your best option of a solution may be for the child.

Treatment Options

Treatment for a toddler grinding their teeth at night is usually dependent on the cause. Once you have figured out why your toddler is grinding their teeth, you can proceed with correcting the issue. If grinding is being caused by misalignment, you may need to get your child a mouth guard to wear at night. This particular mouthguard is made to be worn to protect teeth from grinding at night and is very thin and flexible. Nightguards can be tricky though, as toddlers could find them uncomfortable and unwilling to wear them. In addition, their teeth are going to constantly be changing at this age, so you may need to continue getting new mouth guards as they outgrow them. In this case, it’s almost better to wait it out. Eventually, you can correct misalignment with braces when they’re old enough.

If your toddler is grinding their teeth due to some type of medication their on, consult their doctor to find out about other medication options.

On the other hand, if teeth grinding is due to stress, try to establish a bit of a routine with them. Incorporating some soothing activities throughout the day that establish a ritual can help bring more peace and calm to a child. You can do these activities, such as a bath, some snuggle time, or reading time, right before bed to help them sleep more easily.

Pediatric Dentist Downtown Los Angeles

If your child continues to have issues grinding their teeth, take them to see a professional. A pediatric dentist will be able to carefully look at your child’s teeth to determine any misalignment with their teeth or any wear or tear they may be experiencing. Don’t hesitate to call Samaritan Dental today or visit our website to find out more about our dental hygienic options.

Cheerful girl hiding under the sheets

Making Loose Teeth Fun for Kids

Pediatric Dentistry, ,

pediatric dentist in downtown LA

Do you remember hearing tales of the tooth fairy? Did you excitedly hide your tooth under your pillow at night, only to wake up with a coin for your troubles?

There are many ways that we can make the tooth-losing experience fun for kids. While loose teeth can sometimes be bothersome or painful, the process is a natural transition that can help adult teeth grow in stronger and faster. At Samaritan Dental, we offer special and preventative care for kids.

If your little one is struggling with a wiggling tooth, here are a few ways that you can make it a fun and positive experience for them. For more about pediatric dentistry in downtown LA, visit Samaritan Dental today!

Wait to Pull The Tooth

Some kids might be tempted to pull a loose tooth on their own. When it’s wiggling in their mouth, it might start to get bothersome. However, teach your child that it is not always best to pull it out right away. Colgate explains that the roots of the baby teeth need time to dissolve before they can come out.

So, how can you make waiting fun?

Make A Memory Book

Children are often very excited to lose their first tooth. Help them turn this experience into a lifelong memory by working with them to craft a tooth fairy memory book. Use colored paper, sticks, glue, little pockets to store the teeth, and anything else you think they might enjoy.

You can even use this Amazon tooth very coin collection book as a template!

Play A Game

When in doubt, make a game out of it! Encourage your kids to mark down each day on the calendar that they have the loose tooth, working all the way up to the day it finally comes out. If they’re able to make it all the way, promise them a fun prize at the end!

This prize can be a trip to their favorite ice cream place, an hour with their favorite cartoon, or even an adorable tooth-shaped plushie.

Share With The Class

Does your child have a show-and-tell coming up? They can make a presentation about the experience of having a loose tooth. Their classmates will love learning about what to expect, how much the tooth wiggles, and how long they must wait for it to fall out.

This can turn into an excellent class project as well. If you have multiple kids, or if you teach a classroom, you can have them all make their own personal projects about losing their teeth. At this crucial age, kids are ready and willing to learn about the changes that are soon to come.

Read Books

Lots of children’s books have been written on the subject of losing a tooth. If your child needs a role model to feel comfort from – even if it’s fictional – try browsing the shelves of your local bookstore for some kid-friendly tooth stories. You can even search online for these fun and educational books. This will reassure them that everything they’re going through is natural and expected.

Most children aren’t afraid of this process. It can be an exciting, fascinating change, one that they look forward to with anticipation. Just be sure that they know not to pull the wiggling tooth out immediately – it can cause damage!

Pediatric Dentistry in Los Angeles

When your child is dealing with a loose tooth, you may want to visit your pediatric dentist in downtown LA to ensure that everything is going smoothly. In most cases, the tooth will wiggle its way out on its own, without anybody needing to force a pull. Our certified staff members and Dr. Alan Zabolian, DDS, can reassure you and your child that you are on the right path to growth and health.

For more information about the tooth-losing process, and for more ways to engage with your child in this exciting memory, contact us online or give us a call at (213) 986-2933. We look forward to working with you!