Haha, flossing those tiny teeth is definitely a challenge. Our dentist mentioned it too, and I remember thinking, "Really? Already?" But she showed us how quickly food can get stuck between even the smallest teeth, and it made sense. We tried it a couple times—mostly ended up with giggles and squirming—but hey, practice makes perfect...eventually. Like you said, it's mostly about getting them comfortable with the idea early on.
We started pretty early too, around the first birthday. Honestly, I thought it was a bit soon at first, but our dentist explained it's mostly about getting them used to the environment and routine. The first visit was mostly just counting teeth and chatting about brushing habits—nothing intense. It really helped my little one feel comfortable later on. And yeah, flossing tiny teeth...definitely an adventure, haha. Hang in there, it gets easier!
We waited a bit longer—closer to 18 months—for the first dentist trip, mostly because, honestly, I was trying to stretch our budget a little. But looking back, I can totally see why starting around the first birthday makes sense.
"The first visit was mostly just counting teeth and chatting about brushing habits—nothing intense."
Our experience was similar, just a quick peek and lots of encouragement about good brushing habits. And yeah, flossing tiny teeth is like trying to thread a needle in the dark while riding a roller coaster...fun times. But seriously, I found that making it into a silly game or singing goofy songs helped ease my toddler into it. It definitely got easier as we went along.
I do think those early visits are helpful for getting kids comfortable at the dentist. Even though we started later, my daughter still adjusted pretty quickly after a few visits. Guess every kid's different, but starting early probably doesn't hurt if you can swing it.
We took our little guy around 14 months, mostly because my mom kept nagging me about it (thanks, grandma guilt). Honestly, I was expecting some big ordeal, but it was literally just a quick peek and a sticker at the end. He was more interested in the fish tank in the waiting room than anything else.
And yeah, flossing tiny teeth is a special kind of torture. I tried the singing thing too—ended up inventing some ridiculous song about "flossy floss monsters" that he still demands every night. Whatever works, right?
I do wonder though...does anyone else's dentist push fluoride treatments super early? Ours mentioned it at the first visit, and I wasn't sure if that was standard or just their office being extra cautious. Curious what others have experienced with that.
It's great you had a smooth first visit! Just wanted to gently mention that fluoride treatments for little ones aren't necessarily about being overly cautious—it's pretty common practice these days. Early fluoride can really help strengthen enamel and prevent cavities down the road, especially if your area doesn't have fluoridated water. Of course, every dentist's approach is slightly different, but it's usually just about giving those tiny teeth the best start possible. Sounds like you're already doing awesome though...flossy floss monsters and all!