We are thankful to partner with South Mississippi Smiles for this post. We strive to provide helpful information for families on the Gulf Coast.
“Don’t worry, it happens, you did nothing wrong… All we can do is try to better prevent it in the future!“
You just heard the dreaded words in (what felt like) slow motion—your child has a cavity. So what do you do next? And how do you prepare them for the drill?
PRACTICE CALMING TECHNIQUES
Does your child have a favorite stuffed animal or TV show? Having your first cavity filled can be very stressful and scary, especially for a child, so we try to encourage our parents to make the entire day as calm and relaxing as possible.
South Mississippi Smiles takes every step to make sure all kids are comfortable at our office. Your child can look forward to laying back and watching a movie (we even let them pick when we can). At the end of the appointment, they’ll leave with a toy and a balloon!
DON’T MENTION THE SHOT
Shots can be scary for anyone, but especially a child. We don’t encourage parents to lie to their kids; however, there is a way you can frame the experience so it isn’t so negative or scary.
A good way of mentioning this and preparing them is saying that they will feel a “little pinch” and we will be “putting their tooth to sleep.”
NO CHEWING
Some don’t realize that the mouth may be a bit sensitive for 2-3 hours afterwards, so we ask the parents to ensure the child does not chew any hard foods. Soft foods, milkshakes, or smoothies are a good source of nutrition while their mouth heals.
South Mississippi Smiles is proud to have been voted Parents and Kids Magazine 2021 Family Favorites Best Dentist. Serving the entire Gulf Coast with locations in Gulfport and Pascagoula, find South Mississippi Smiles online at smsmiles.com.
Also be sure to check out our new online portal which gives you the option to add, edit or change aspects of your dental appointment with just a click, at any time that is convenient for you!
