From at-home care to creating enjoyable visits to the dentist’s office, here’s how you can build a positive oral health foundation for your kids in Nanaimo, BC.
Instilling good dental habits in children can sometimes be a challenge. Many kids view brushing their teeth and visiting the dentist as chores or, worse, something to be feared. However, at Nanaimo Smiles, we love pediatric dentistry because we truly believe that with a little creativity and enthusiasm, we can transform these daily routines into enjoyable and rewarding experiences. It’s important to remember that positive experiences with dental care can shape a child’s attitude toward their oral health for years to come. By making dental hygiene fun, we not only help kids develop essential habits but also build their confidence when it comes to visiting their Nanaimo dentist. Here’s how we can turn daily brushing and dental visits into more positive experiences for kids in Nanaimo, BC.
Brush to the Beat
One of the best ways to make brushing fun is to create a playlist of your child’s favourite songs. Music adds an element of excitement to the routine. Set a timer for two minutes—this is the recommended brushing time—and let them brush along to the rhythm of the songs. Not only does this make the experience enjoyable, but it also encourages kids to brush for the full duration. We can’t wait to hear what songs are on your child’s tooth brushing playlist when they come to see us for their general checkup.
Storytime with a Twist
Incorporating dental health into storytime is a wonderful way to make learning about oral hygiene fun and engaging. Look for children’s books that feature characters who face dental challenges, learn about the importance of brushing, or even visit the dentist. These narratives can help normalize the experience and make it relatable. Discuss the stories afterward and ask your child what they learned—this reinforces the lessons and makes the topic of dental health more approachable, while giving you an inside look at how their feelings are adapting to the idea of visiting their Nanaimo dentist. Plus, at Nanaimo Smiles, we’ve got so many children’s books in our waiting room, so your child might find some new favourites when they visit us for their cleaning!
Dental Health Chart
A colorful dental health chart can be a fantastic motivational tool. Use fun stickers or stamps to mark each successful day, and you could even consider starting a reward system. For instance, if your child brushes consistently for a week, they could earn a small treat or extra playtime. This visual representation of their efforts not only encourages consistency but also gives kids a sense of accomplishment. Download your free printable brushing chart here.
Keep the Conversation Going
So often, we see dental fear stemming from the simple fact that visiting the dentist just isn’t a part of everyday life. While we see your child every six months starting from about the time they turn one year old, that’s a long time between dental visits, especially for our littlest patients! A good way to normalize dental visits is to talk about them more regularly. Whether it’s mentioning how proud your child’s Nanaimo dentist would be of their daily brushing routine, asking them about what their favourite part of visiting the dentist is, or pointing out Nanaimo Smiles when you pass by in the car, making a point to integrate your child’s Nanaimo dentist into everyday life will bring some normalcy when it’s time to visit for their checkup. To learn more about our approach to children’s dentistry and spark some inspiration for other conversation topics, check out our Nanaimo Parent’s Guide to Children’s Dentistry.
Reward Their Efforts
Implementing a rewards system can be a great way to reinforce good dental habits. Create a point system where your child earns points for positive behaviours, such as brushing twice a day, flossing, or visiting the dentist regularly. When they reach a certain number of points, they can choose from a selection of small prizes or special activities. This is also a great time to remind your child that at Nanaimo Smiles, we keep our treasure chest fully stocked with cool prizes that they can choose from after their appointment.
Make Nanaimo Dentist Visits Fun!
Our Nanaimo dental clinic’s Kids Corner offers families educational, age-appropriate resources for your child to learn and get excited about their appointment with their Nanaimo dentist. Here, they can browse videos about what happens during a dentist appointment or find tips for brushing their teeth, special blog posts made just for them, and even some great jokes to tell their dentist when they visit for their checkup.
Visit Your Dentist Prior
At Nanaimo Smiles, we encourage parents to visit our Nanaimo dental clinic with our youngest patients prior to their first visit if they are nervous. During this initial visit they’ll have a chance to see our clinic–including our fun waiting room filled with storybooks, colouring pages, and other fun activities–and meet some of the friendly faces of our team who will be helping to take care of their teeth. This is a great time to ask questions about what will happen during their appointment and if we have one available, to have a look around one of our operatories. This often helps our youngest patients get excited about their upcoming visit to the dentist as they notice the ceiling-mounted TVs they can watch during their cleaning and are introduced to some of the cool dental instruments we’ll use. If you’re interested in booking your child’s first visit to our Nanaimo dental clinic, please contact our team.
Play Up the “Cool” Factor
If your kid absolutely loves tech (what kid doesn’t nowadays!?), they’ll be so excited to learn about the cool technology that we have at Nanaimo Smiles. For instance, our digital panoramic x-rays take a single shot of your child’s entire mouth that instantly shows up on screen. How cool is it that your kid gets to see inside their teeth? Plus, our new NOMAD x-ray is a portable device that makes our dental team look like superheroes. Not only does our advanced technology make your child’s trip to the dentist quick and efficient, but it’s also something cool they can talk to their friends about later.
Children’s Dentistry in Nanaimo, BC
At Nanaimo Smiles, we understand that it can sometimes be challenging to help kids create healthy habits when it comes to dental care. Our team is passionate about providing exceptional children’s dentistry in Nanaimo, BC that offers families a fun, relaxing and educational experience. If you have any questions about how to help your child create a positive foundation for dental health in Nanaimo, BC, please don’t hesitate to contact us.