Dr. Heller and Dr. Elger
Hi! Dr. Heller and Dr. Elger here! As many of you know, we are moms and general dentists who work together to provide quality dental care for our patients here in Bloomington/Normal. We LOVE caring for teeth (of all ages), but we especially enjoy the sweet smiles of children!
Being a parent is tough stuff! We understand this firsthand, so we’re happy to be able to share (within our blog) a few tips, some tricks and a bit of guidance to make caring for your child’s teeth a little less daunting.
February is National Children’s Dental Health Month. Did you know that this tradition began in Ohio in 1941!? If you haven’t taken your child to see the dentist yet, now is a perfect time!
At our dental office, we firmly believe that a child’s first few (HAPPY) visits to the dentist make for a lifetime of healthy teeth and easy routine dental visits into adulthood.
Your child’s first dental visit should be by the time they are one year old, or within 6 months of when your child’s first tooth appears; whichever comes first.
At this visit, Dr. Elger or I (Dr. Heller) will evaluate their teeth for cavities. We will also check your child’s gums and other structures in their mouth to make sure your child’s entire mouth is healthy!
We will discuss your child’s diet with you (to ensure that the foods they are eating won’t cause cavities). We will also discuss tips for brushing and flossing your child’s teeth, which will include guidance on when you can begin using a fluoridated toothpaste (if you aren’t already) as well as how much toothpaste to use.
We may also ask you about the type of water that your child drinks (well water vs city water). You may be asked about pacifiers and thumb sucking habits and given guidance on the when/how to wean. Again, we are moms so we’re able to give real-life (reasonable) tips!
The most important part of this visit is not necessarily checking your child’s teeth for cavities; but rather discussing the importance of proper oral hygiene and diet with you, the child’s caregiver.
Children don’t always cooperate at their first visit – that’s ok (and even normal)! If this happens, there is no need to stress or worry. Your child will eventually learn to cooperate and will realize that the dentist’s office is not a scary place to be. Most kids even find it FUN! Our adorable play room is a magnet for littles (but currently closed due to COVID). We find that many kids even ASK to come visit our office because they get to play before or after their appointment. We love the fact that kids are excited to visit us – the only tears we’re used to hearing are when it’s time to leave the playroom to head home!
Kids become more and more comfortable each time they see us in the office. We make sure to ease into each visit so that your child is never overwhelmed in the dental chair. What matters most is that you bring your child in for routine exams and discuss any and all concerns with us. Just like in most aspects of parenting, routine helps!
Visiting the dentist during a pandemic may cause some concerns for you. Rest assured that we have always adhered to strict sanitization guidelines. Since the COVID-19 pandemic began, our safety and cleanliness protocols are even more strict. We will ask that you to wait in your car until it is your child’s appointment time and we will check your temperatures before you come inside. Once inside, you’ll notice everyone will be wearing a mask (probably 2!) and face shields may be used during your child’s cleaning while air purifiers run in each of the rooms. These are just some of the visible changes you will see in our office to protect all of our patients and care providers. You won’t necessarily notice, but there is always plenty of sterilizing that goes on behind the scenes as well!
If you haven’t taken your child to visit the dentist, we would LOVE to meet them (and you)!
Visiting the dentist should be something FUN for your child!! Plus, we give goody bags at the end of each visit! ; )
Keep smiling!
