Parent Resources - Great Books to Encourage Dental Habits

Greater Houston Pediatric Dentistry recommends that your child visit us by the time they get their first tooth, or by their first birthday, whichever comes first. Visiting the dentist early can help it become a normal event and something that isn’t so scary as your child gets older and more aware. Our goal is to partner with parents to ensure each appointment is a great experience for your child and that they feel comfortable and safe.

How to help prepare your child for their first dental visit: 

Talk about it with your child

You can prepare your child for their dental visit by talking about it early. Talk to your child about what you will do and what the experience will be like.

Model Good Oral Hygiene

Demonstrate good oral hygiene habits so that routine brushing is part of your child’s daily life. When children see you doing something, they’ll follow along, as long as it seems fun, so don’t hold back on singing, dancing, acting silly, whatever needs to be done.

Read Books

Reading books about healthy dental habits and going to the dentist is another excellent way to prepare your child. Here are three books we recommend for reading with your child to help encourage positive oral health habits.

Three Great Books About Dental Habits:

There are hundreds of books, especially for children, about oral health and why going to the dentist is important. Here are a few suggestions to make talking to your child about the dentist more fun.

The Berenstain Bears Visit the Dentist by Stan and Jan Berenstain

This classic book has encouraged children for decades to love going to the dentist. In this colorful storybook, children will join their favorite bear family for a trip to the dentist, where they’ll get checked for cavities, have their teeth cleaned, and learn all about the tools a dentist uses to help keep teeth healthy.

The Crocodile and the Dentist by Taro Gomi

This book is a short, funny story about a crocodile who has a bad tooth and is scared to visit the dentist. At the same time, the dentist is also afraid of treating the crocodile because he looks dangerous.

When they finally meet, both of them are nervous, but the dentist does his job and fixes the tooth. In the end, the crocodile decides he should take better care of his teeth so he won’t have to go back.

The story shows that even when people (or animals!) are scared, they can still do what needs to be done and that taking care of yourself can help you avoid problems later.

Curious George Visits the Dentist by Margret and H.A. Rey

When George the monkey visits the dentist for the first time, he feels nervous and unsure about what will happen.

During the visit, George gets his teeth cleaned and even has a small cavity fixed. He also watches another child get braces, which makes him curious and a little worried. By the end, George learns that going to the dentist isn’t so scary and helps keep his teeth healthy.

The story teaches kids that dentist visits are important and nothing to be afraid of.

Taking time to read with your child about what to expect at the dentist's office can help tremendously when preparing them and removing any hesitancy they may have. Visit your local library to check out these titles or select from many more great options about visiting the dentist or encouraging oral care.

Welcome to Greater Houston Pediatric Dentistry

Greater Houston Pediatric Dentistry has four fun and welcoming locations throughout the greater Houston area, each with the goal of making young dental patients feel at home. There are fun games, ball pits, and lots of smiling faces ready to welcome young children, whether this is their first trip to the dentist or they have had a negative experience elsewhere. If your child is nervous about going to the dentist, we would love to give them a great experience.