For many children, a visit to the dentist can be a frightening experience, but it does not have to be. When you are preparing your child for a visit to the Dental Clinic Calgary, there are many things you can do to make sure your child is ready. Preparing your child for his or her dental visit will make things go as smoothly as possible.

Oral Hygiene

Having good oral hygiene can make your child's dental visits go much more smoothly, as he or she is less likely to have complications like cavities. From the moment your child gets his or her first tooth, it is time to start teaching him or her proper oral hygiene. This means brushing twice a day and flossing regularly. Even small children can learn good oral hygiene skills. You will need to help your child brush his or her teeth until he or she is old enough to do it alone. When your child is small, he or she may want to brush on their own, but you will need to go back and make sure they have brushed thoroughly. With time and practice, your child will become more independent. There are many books and songs that help teach children about brushing their teeth.

Nutrition

The food your child eats is also very important to dental health. Try to avoid letting your child have sweets and sugary drinks on a regular basis. These types of foods should be reserved for special occasions. Frequent consumption of sugar can lead to cavities. Make sure your child eats nutritious, whole foods and has a diet with plenty of calcium to promote strong teeth. It is important that you do not put your child to sleep with a bottle of juice, formula or milk, as these can lead to tooth decay.

Alleviate Fears

Your child may have some fears about going to the dentist, even if he or she has been there before. They might have heard horror stories from friends and older siblings who did not have a good experience at the dentist. Make sure to talk with your child about his or her fears well before the visit. Remind your child that the dentist is there to help keep his or her teeth clean and healthy. There are many books available about getting over a fear of the dentist that your child may find comforting as well. Another way to get your child ready for the visit to the dentist is to role-play the experience. Take turns with you and your child acting the role of the patient and the dentist.

Be Honest

While you do want to reassure your child and help with his or her fears, you should also be honest about what exactly a visit to the dentist will entail. It may be tempting to lie, but that may cause more problems when your child is in the chair and something unexpected happens. Go through all of the procedures so that your child will know what to expect. Talk about how the dentist will clean and check his or her teeth. Many children may also be fearful of the x-ray machine, so you may want to show him or her pictures and talk about how it works. If your child has to get a cavity filled, make sure to prepare him or her for exactly what will happen. Don't tell your child that getting a cavity filled is painless, but reassure them that the pain is minimal.

Choosing the Right Dental Office

You will have several factors to consider when choosing the right dental office. You want to find a dental office that is near your home with an appointment system that can work with your schedule. Most importantly, you want a staff and doctors that are warm, friendly and caring with children. If your child is comfortable with the people at your dental office, the visit will go much more smoothly. Make sure your dentist has experience working with children. Many dental offices have kid-friendly amenities, like rewards programs for good dental hygiene and kid-themed exam rooms.

With good dental hygiene, the right nutrition, and ample preparation, your child's visit to the dentist can be stress-free and a good experience.

Preparing Your Child for the Dental Visit