questions about first dentist appt?

amyinaustin

We are finally taking DD to her first dentist appointment on Monday and I have a couple of questions.  I seem to remember other Nesties posting about opting out of the flouride treatments and/or x-rays.  When I made the appointment, they mentioned doing both of these for DD and I'd like to know more about why some have decided NOT to  have either the x-rays or flouride done. I know I remember seeing that there are risks w/ the flouride?  But what about the xrays?

Thanks for any info!

ali-1411

Layna just went a couple weeks ago.  I got her the xrays but skipped the flouride.  I think there's always a risk with xrays but the benefit outweighs them, IMO.  I only skipped the flouride because I didn't want to overdue it with her first appt.  She was doing awesome but gettting antsy.

amyliisa

DS has been to the dentist 3 times, and never received flouride.  I don't remember them even asking me about it, but it's possible they did and I declined.  I can't even tell you why I declined, other than I was not educated enough to understand the benefits vs risks so I just opted against it. 

He didn't have xrays until this last time, because he did not have his molars all the way in before then.  The dental hygienist explained that once the molars are completely in and touching the teeth next to them, is when they do xrays, because they can't actually see with their eyes those surfaces of the teeth that are touching, like they can when they're not touching yet.  He was 3yrs, 3mo when he had the xrays, and he did great.  He loved looking at the pictures of his teeth pop up on the computer screen as soon as they took the xray picture. 

I have to say, though, that our dentist office and those dental assistants and hygienists are absolutely fantastic.  They are a pediatric dentistry office and they are just phenomenal with their kiddo patients.  No way DS would have been so good and cooperative without them or the awesome dentist himself.  I super puffy heart them.

Temp13436125005166

We opt'd out of both flouride and xrays.  I don't see any need for xrays this young, but then again I'm not an expert :-)  I did talk with the dentist and she was totally on board with not doing xrays until they are older.  She did say that after she looked at their teeth too so maybe it depends on that too.  For me it was just that I didn't want any more exposure to xrays than necessary.  Megan has already had 4 xrays for her broken leg so I'm really conscience about it.  On the flouride what I've read online about make me skeptical.  And we have flouride in our water so I don't see any need to give her teeth a flouride treathment.  Again the kids dentist was totally ok with that as well.  And they both cost extra too :-)