Toddler at dentist

[pinkisthenew]

Shamelessly posting here for traffic and this is only lighthearted but why did I bother taking her!!
Just took my toddler to the dentist for the first time (2 year old). She screamed and screamed and I was out within 1 minute. Dentist just did cursory glance (although in fairness wouldn't have been able to do any more) and said yep they are fine. £49 for 1 minutes work isn't bad is it 😩😂

Mine was like that the first couple of times. Persevere and she'll get there!

Edit to add that there are usually dentist episodes of kid cartoons that might help if she watches TV.

That’s all they do at that age, realistically they ain’t gonna keep still long enough to do much else.

Reminds me of going to the dentist in the 80s, back when laughing gas was all the rage.

They don't really do anything at that age anyway other than tell you to keep up oral hygiene. I started taking my son when he was like 6 months and I don't think he had a proper examination until he was 5.

Thankfully his check-ups are free.

Oosh I'm so grateful for our NHS dentist. That's a rip off!

No screaming here but similar length appointments. One they wouldn't even open their mouth. We watched dentist cartoons with DC, practiced opening wide, let them be our dentist and REALLY hyped up the sticker. We are seeing small improvements each time.

Our NHS dentist recommended just bringing him along every six months since it's free and he'll get used to it, so he's been going since 9m.

My private dentist doesn't charge for children until age 5/6. I didn't realise this wasn't the norm!

My private dentist didn't charge for my son until he was 18. I think it's very variable, what they choose to do re charging for children.

Son went with me from about 18 months old. He would be in the room seeing me be examined/treated/cleaned and then would sit in the chair and open his mouth. Gradually the mouth-opening would last longer and before he went to school he was having a full examination - so probably about age 4.

I think if they get used to seeing you in the chair having no worries, then it gives them the confidence that this is just another one of those things that you do.

Mine went about 18 months and I felt the same, he just screamed and it seemed an utter waste of time. Went again at 2 and he just sat there, wouldn't open his mouth, but it was progression from the screaming and trying to escape the chair. We're going again in January (he'll be 2yr 6m) and I'm hoping he'll be a little better again. Luckily, he's got an NHS dentist, I can imagine it stings all the more if you're paying £49 a time for it.