Does your baby really need to visit a pediatric dentist?
Some parents don’t realize that babies and toddlers can suffer from tooth decay—but they can (and sometimes they do). Cavities in young children are incredibly aggressive. When left untreated, tooth decay can lead to severe consequences, like toothaches and even damaged adult teeth. By proactively taking your baby to the dentist before their first birthday or when their first tooth emerges, you are keeping their teeth and gums as healthy and comfortable as possible.
What to Expect at Baby’s First Dental Visit
As at any other children’s pediatric dentistry visit, Dr. Heba Rashed will examine your baby’s teeth and gums. She will look for signs of tooth decay and oral health conditions that might necessitate special care, like a lip or tongue tie.
Aside from a comprehensive examination, the first dental visit serves primarily as an educational opportunity for parents. Dr. Rashed will patiently provide in-person, hands-on guidance to teach parents how to care for their baby’s smile properly.
Also, Dr. Rashed will ask questions about your little one’s dietary habits and infant feeding practices. She will provide counseling services based on the best pediatric dentistry practices. Plus, Dr. Rashed will be ready to answer your oral-heath-related questions, including inquiries about teething, thumb sucking, and more.
Discussing your child’s diet and oral health care habits at an infant dental visit is a wonderful way to receive personalized feedback, tips, and guidance from a licensed oral health professional.
How to Help Your Child Feel More Confident and Comfortable at Their First Dental Visit
New experiences can be a little nerve-wracking for people of all ages. One primary reason for your child’s infant dental visit is to help your child feel more comfortable in the dentist’s office. To help your baby feel more confident in the dentist’s chair, we invite parents to hold their baby. Additionally, we suggest bringing a favorite blanket, stuffed animal, or comfort item to help the young child adjust to this brand-new-to-them scenario.
Infant Dental Visit in Lorton, VA
Although the adage is “ignorance is bliss,” we don’t agree with this sentiment regarding your child’s health. Many parents don’t know what they don’t know, and caring for a baby isn’t always intuitive.
There’s plenty of misinformation regarding children’s health on the internet, and we believe it’s more sensible to see a children’s dentist in Lorton like Dr. Rashed rather than sifting through the potentially distorted truth regarding your baby’s oral health.
The bottom line is that delaying the first dental visit is a gamble on your child’s oral and overall health. Book baby’s first dental appointment by calling (703)-688-2155 or messaging us online.
Petite Stories
My experience at Petite Smiles Dentistry with Dr. Heba Rashed exceeded my expectations. The clinic itself was beautifully designed with a child-friendly atmosphere, creating a relaxing environment. It was evident that they catered to their patients and the attention to detail was remarkable.
Brittany D.
So glad my kids first dental experience was at Petite Smiles! I have 4-year-old triplets and each one was so comfortable at the clinic. The entire Petite Smiles team was incredibly warm and welcoming. They engaged with my kids, which really helped them feel comfortable throughout their cleaning and checks. And Dr. Rashed was awesome - very knowledgeable, thorough, and communicative throughout the visit.
Fairuz M
I'm absolutely thrilled to share our wonderful experience with Petite Smiles Pediatric Dentistry. From the moment we stepped into their clinic, we were greeted with warm smiles and a friendly atmosphere that immediately put my children at ease. They even had a board with their names welcoming them in! It’s so important to create such a positive environment for children where they could be nervous…