5 ways to get your kids excited about the dentist

As a child, I had a fascination with teeth. In fact, I even dressed up as a tube of toothpaste and, later, a box of dental floss for Halloween as a child. Yep. I sure did.

Once those people become parents with kids who are old enough to have a tooth or two coming out of those pink gums, they can push those anxieties onto their kids. Or, as it sometimes happens, those kids can develop anxieties of their own.

Dove tells me that the first trip to the dentist should happen within about six months of a child getting their first tooth.

"Historically, the recommendation was three years old," Dove said. "But they were finding kids with cavities at three. It was almost like three was too late. Now the recommendation is to find a dental home around the age of one."

Dove said parents shouldn't be nervous about bringing little ones in so young. The goal isn't a full teeth cleaning at that very first visit. Instead, she said, it's an opportunity for a dentist to check your child's teeth, look for any enamel defects that could spell trouble later on and make recommendations that will keep your child's teeth healthy (like keeping juice out of bottles and steering clear of chewy fruit snacks and gummy vitamins).

"Pediatric dentists are used to kids not cooperating," she said. "It is a no judgment zone. Kids will be amazing one visit and they will have a meltdown the next. It's totally fine."

Look for books about oral hygiene and healthy teeth and gums to read at bedtime or during the day. Dove recommends books featuring favorite children's characters such as Dora the Explorer and the Berenstain Bears. A quick Google search also pulls up lots of dental apps designed to make a trip to the dentist more fun.

"Make it part of your regular conversation," she said. "If they are older, there are tons of fun apps where you can get the 'sugar boogers' out of teeth."

Demonstrate how important good oral hygiene is by brushing and flossing with your child. Stand in front of the mirror together as part of your morning or nighttime routine to show how important it is to take good care of your pearly whites, the dental society says.

"Make it like a family affair," Dove said, "so they can see that it's important. Mommy and Daddy do it. That it's part of the routine."

Be sure to give them plenty of positive feedback, she said.

I can't imagine brushing my teeth with anything that tastes like bubblegum, but the kids love it.

Let them make small decisions when it comes to their teeth. Have them pick out a special toothbrush with their favorite character on it. (My younger daughter liked one that lit up.) Let them choose their toothpaste flavor - whether it's bubble gum, strawberry or blue raspberry.

Just make sure the toothpaste is approved by the American Dental Association and includes fluoride. When brushing very young children's teeth, use just a tiny smear - about the size of a grain of rice, Dove said. Once they reach age four, they're able to spit and can move up to a pea-sized amount of toothpaste.

As kids grow up, parents will have a more hands-off approach, of course. But Dove recommends doing spot checks - even of teenagers.

"They start to get good at it, they become a teenager and they don't want to brush their teeth," she said. "Do spot checks, regardless of their age. Make sure there's no plaque at the gum line."

Sure, you'll need them for regular cleanings or to address any issues and you'll want your kids to be familiar with them and their practice. But, you'll also want them in your back pocket when there's any injury - whether it's a toddler tumbling into a table or a teenager crashing into somebody on the sports field.

"The ER doesn't usually have a dentist there," Dove said. "It's nice to be able to have somebody to call with concerns if your kid falls."