Taking your children to the pediatric dentist is important for their dental health. However, for a child, lying on a dental chair can lead to a lot of anxiety. The unfamiliar setting of the dentist’s office with all its machine and odd noises can be quite distressing to most children. Here are a few tips that Vita Dental recommends to get over this problem.
- Talk to the Dentist
Before the visit to the dentist’s office, ensure that you hold a conversation with the dentist. You can then plan activities with the doctor on how to ease the child’s anxiety.
- Let the Child Listen to Music
During a visit to the dentist, you can give your child an iPod to listen to at the dentist’s office. It helps to distract him or her from the unfamiliar sounds of the dentist’s office.
- Give the Child Some Games to Play on Your Phone
Most kids love to play phone games. During your next visit, load your phone with some great games and give the child the phone. It will keep the child entertained, helping to reduce anxiety.
- Bring along something they Can Hold
One of the best ways to deal with the anxiety that a child may have is to bring along their favorite teddy bear. They can hold onto it when they feel anxious.
- Buy a Dental Storybook
You can read many exciting storybooks to children about dentistry. They are meant to make the dental experience exciting.
- Play Dentist Games at Home
Role-playing can be an important part of familiarizing the children about what takes place at the dentist’s office.
- Tell the Child about Their Dental visit in advance
Telling the child about a dental visit at the last minute can be quite stressful. Make sure they know about the visit well in advance to prepare mentally for it.
- Teach Kids about the Importance of Good Oral Health
If they understand that a dental visit is beneficial for their lives, they may be willing to go visit the dentist. Additionally, ensure that you lead by example.
- Start Dental Visits Early On
At vitaldentalhouston.com, we recommend that you start to bring the child for dental visits as soon at their first tooth emerges. It helps to familiarize them with a dental office.
- Teach Your Child Relaxation Techniques
A simple relaxation technique is to get the child to take deep breaths. It is usually quite helpful in alleviating anxiety.
- Use Positive Reinforcement
Giving small gifts for being so brave at their dental visit is quite important. It helps them to feel that the dental visits are a good thing.
- Stay Calm
Children are usually observant of what their parents are doing. If you are distressed, the child will take cues from you and become anxious.
- Choose a Caring Dental Practice
If you choose a practice such as Vital Dental, you will always have a caring pediatric dentist attending to them.
- Choose Your Words wisely
One of the reasons that your child may become anxious is if everything becomes too complex. Ensure you do not go into too many details when you are telling them about their dental appointment.
- Avoid Negative Stereotypes about Dentists
When speaking to your child about dentists, avoid telling your child anything negative about them. It will only lead to more anxiety.
- Tell Your Child what they are expected to do at the Dentist’s Office
Clear guidelines are a great way to get rid of any anxiety that your child has. It helps them know what to do in a strange environment.
- Do Not Be Over Reassuring
Giving your child too much reassurance could cause them to doubt your honesty. In fact, it could increase their anxiety about a visit to the dental office.
- Avoid Giving their Negative Behavior Too Much Attention
You can ignore their protests and tears and instead praise them each time they do something positive like sitting down quietly.
- Ensure You Child Does Not Escape
If you let your child escape their first dental visit, the second one will be quite difficult. Going through the first visit helps to reduce the anxiety they have about dentists.
- Visit a Behavioral Therapist
If your child’s anxiety is too much, a visit to a cognitive behavioral therapist may be warranted. It helps to make things easy for you and the child.
- Consider Dental Sedation
Dental sedation may be required when your child’s anxiety is too much. It is especially so when they have to undergo complex dental procedures.
- Avoid Negative Words
When telling them about the dental visit, avoid using words such as pain, hurt, blood, or anything else that may be taken out of context by the child.
- Ensure Older Sibling Do Not Teas them
Teasing by their elder brothers and sisters can be quite stressful for the youngster. Ensure that the whole family works together to reduce the kid’s anxiety.
- Show them a Positive Dental Movie
Plenty of movies out there teach children the benefits of a dental visit. By them a few of these movies and get them to watch them.
- Bring along a sibling
If you have kids that are almost the same age, you can bring both of them along. It will help to make the child feel relaxed when their older brother or sister tags along.
