Weston family dentist : Kids : Anxiety

How to Lessen Anxiety Over your Kid's First Visit to the Family Dentist

As a Weston family dentist office we treat a large and growing number of kids at our practice. From time to time we think it is a good idea to remind parents just how important getting children started with good dental hygiene habits is and how important their part as role models are. 

Getting your child ready for their first visit to the dentist (a new and therefor unpredictable experience) can be made easier if you take the time to familiarize him or her with what to expect (in general terms). Rule number one is not to mention anything that can be associated with pain.

Easing the anxiety kids have about dentists

When your child asks what the dentist is going to do answer in very general (but truthful) terms like he's going to ask you to say "ahh" and then he's going to count your teeth and check your smile.  You may even want to role play at that point. Have your child sit down, say ahh and then use a tooth brush and count his or her teeth. If you hold up a mirror they can see what's going on and the experience is no longer totally unpredictable.

If you have no personal anxiety about visiting the dentist, you may want to bring your child with you on your next appointment. This way they can become familiar with the surroundings and sample the toys, blankets, TV and aquarium that we keep just for kids.

Dr. Pyle has been treating kids for over 25 years and is an expert in managing their anxiety and concerns. Leave the "explaining" to him and don't attempt to explain x-rays, cavities or any other procedures. Just tell your kids that the dentist is the person who keeps their teeth strong and healthy.

If you have any questions about scheduling your child's first appointment, please don't hesitate to give us a call. Read more:

Family dentist : Mouth Guard : Youth Sports

What Youth Sport Has the Most Dental Injuries?

You might think that youth football or hockey generates the most injuries involving the mouth. After all they are both heavy contact sports both with other players and the ground or ice. But if you guessed either of those sports you would be wrong. What you may find surprising is that the sports with the most mouth injuries include baseball, basketball, soccer, field hockey, softball and gymnastics. Most pros in those sports don't wear mouth guards and as a result kids don't wear them either. That's not good news.

Mouth guards, even cheap stock models can help prevent broken, cracked and lost teeth as well as jaw and joint fractures. Any of those injuries can be extremely painful and all of them are expensive to fix. Protecting your active kid from mouth injuries by insisting they wear a mouth guard while playing sports is an easy, inexpensive way to guard your kid from injury.

There are Mouth Guards and then there are Mouth Guards

Like all pieces of sporting equipment mouth guards come in different grades of quality and features. Here are the three most common:

• Stock mouth guards. These are plastic and come in small, medium and large. They are cheap but if your kid won't wear them because they hurt you don't get any protection.
• Boil and Bite. This is an attempt to customize a plastic guard. It's an improvement but it is still not customized to the child's mouth.
• Customized sports guards. These are what Dr. Pyle provides at our Weston dental practice. These guards are not only customized to the child's teeth but to the width and shape of the mouth. They are by far the most durable and most comfortable. If your child has braces this is the way to go.

If you have an active child you want to make sure he/she has a mouth guard. If you want the most comfortable and most durable mouth guard, call us at our Weston dentist office and make an appointment for a fitting. Read more: