I had an appointment to have my teeth cleaned yesterday and thought it would be a good time to take Caleb so he can see what goes on, and maybe sit in the chair - just a little warmup orientation for the real thing.
Leading up to our visit I talked to him about what goes on at the dentist, and that they have special "tools", a special "bib", spinning toothbrushes, and toothpastes to make your teeth nice and shiny. I think it was also helpful that I pulled up Amy Elson's blog post from Caleb Elson's recent first trip to the dentist so that (my) Caleb could see him being a great example up in the big chair! :)
He was very attentively watching as the hygienist cleaned my teeth, and she showed him "Mr. Slurpie"(the suction/water thing) and sprayed some air and a little water onto his hand, which he thought was funny. We asked him afterward if he wanted to sit in the chair with me. He climbed right up on my lap, and we were pleasantly surprised that she let him use her little mirror and 'teeth counter' to look in his mouth and inspect (almost) all of his teeth before he pushed her hand away. Pretty good for a little guy his age, they said! Way to go Caleb! Maybe next time he will let them polish his teeth... :)
Great post,it sounds like Caleb did great! My son's first dentist visit went pretty well also, to my surprise. I was expecting a lot of crying and struggling but the dentist was great, thank you for sharing this with us!
ReplyDeleteIntroducing the kids firsthand is an effective way to make them at ease with the dentist. Calling the dentist's tools kid-friendly names (e.g. Mr. Slurpie, Teeth Counter) will give them the impression that there's nothing to be scared about. Good job, Caleb! ;D
ReplyDelete-Williams Schermer
It looks like Caleb did a fine job on his first dental visit. Way to go, Caleb! But I also commend you, Jenny, for making sure that your kid is comfortable and at ease on this first dental appointment. You even sat beside him to give some love and support throughout the procedure. Your presence definitely eased Caleb’s tension. I’m sure his next dental appointment will be a breeze!
ReplyDelete(Darren Heist)
Brave son you got there! The technique you used visibly helped Caleb to relax. I am sure you won’t have a hard time asking him to go for another visit to the dentist. He seemed pretty cool about it. My wife did the same to our youngest. She let her go with her to the dentist and see how everything works inside the clinic. Since then, we never had a problem taking her to the dentist. And my, how she loves the staff and vice versa! They’re all so kind and accommodating there.
ReplyDeleteJerri Franceschi
The first visit is always critical, since it will affect your child’s perception about dentists and dental care as a whole. It’s great to see that Caleb went through it without any trouble. And they’re correct; you’re presence around him made him feel calm and relaxed, so praise goes to you as well, Jenny.
ReplyDeleteLandon Heath
Nice one, Caleb! This reminds me of my son’s first visit to our cosmetic dentist in Beverly Hills. He was afraid at first, but when he saw that “Mr. Slurpee” tool, he got too excited that he got constantly talking and asking questions while the hygienist is cleaning his teeth! Such a bad egg!
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