Yes, he was crying a little but that was to be expected from a two-year-old toddler who is having an unfamiliar person put instruments into his mouth to clean his teeth. Nevertheless, I never really had to hold him down because he was on his back when the dentist told him to lie down. In between sobs, Rafa even managed to answer “Pink!” when the dentist asked him what color the prophy paste was.

As for Miguel, I would also say that the whole process also went well for him. This was his second time visiting a dentist, three years after his first visit when he was just a year old.

We were honestly concerned that he would have a big meltdown and that holding him down would be a big challenge. When it was his turn, I told the dentist that he has Global Developmental Delay so her recommendation was for me to sit with him on the chair.

Actually, it was more of me embracing Miguel so that I could restrain his arms and legs. Surprisingly, he was just crying but never really exerting too much effort to break free. In fact, I wasn’t also putting too much force to confine him. Unfortunately, some of his teeth are starting to decay (too early at 4 years old, we were told) so we have to put in more effort in brushing his teeth. Otherwise, we might have no choice but to have the damaged teeth extracted.

In the end though, we were just happy that our two kids had a mostly smooth experience with the dentist.

On a further note, my attention was caught by the dentist’s framed note on the coffee table in the waiting lounge. The note contained tips for children visiting the dentist for the very first time. I thought that it was really helpful so I’m putting a summary of that note below:

A young child’s first dental visit should be as fun and exciting as possible. As such, parents are reminded to explain to a child that the dentist is a friendly doctor who will help them maintain a healthy smile and teeth. Talk about the experience in a positive tone and that it’s perfectly normal to visit a dentist regularly as part of a healthy oral hygiene.

Moreover, it’s more advisable to schedule the appointment early in the day so that the child is well-rested and full. During the actual visit, parents are encouraged to be silent observers first and let the dentist build some connection with their child.

Visiting the dentist should indeed be a pleasant experience for children because that will build their trust with their doctor and make succeeding visits a lot easier.

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