My little one just turned one, and I've been thinking about scheduling her first dentist appointment. I asked my mom, and she laughed and said, "Dentist? At one? We didn't take you until you were at least three!" But then my pediatrician said it's good to start early, even if it's just to get the kiddo used to the dentist chair and all that stuff.
Anyway, here's what I've been doing so far: first, I started brushing her teeth gently as soon as they popped up (just water at first, now a tiny smear of toothpaste). Then I started playing pretend dentist with her stuffed animals—sounds silly, but it seems to help her feel less nervous about someone poking around in her mouth. And lately I've been reading her picture books about going to the dentist, so she kinda knows what to expect.
But honestly, I'm still not sure if this is enough prep or if I'm overthinking it. Maybe there's a better way to ease her into it? Curious how other parents handled this or if there's any tricks that worked well for your kiddos.
Honestly, sounds like you're already doing way more than most of us ever did, haha. With my first kid, I didn't even think about the dentist until he was almost three (mostly because I thought, "why pay for someone to count teeth I can count myself?"). But then we had a cavity scare and suddenly wished we'd started earlier. You're smart to prep her now—trust me, your wallet will thank you later. Keep it casual and she'll probably surprise you by doing great.
