Helping Children Overcome Their Fear of Dental Visits

There’s something about the dentist that seems to freak kids out more than it does adults, even if you’re someone who hates having to keep to regular appointments. And with the image of men in white coats wearing face masks, with a dental assistant that holds a huge tool that makes loud noises to suck out all the fluid in your mouth, we can’t blame our children for fearing what the dentist has in store for them!

But to make sure those annoying dentist trips go much better in the future, there’s a few things you can do to help your kids prepare for the ordeal ahead of them. And hey, they’re always going to come out the other side, and not have to visit again for at least 6 months! Remind them of that first of all!

All shiny and chrome? It’s a scary sight for a child!

Find A Family Friendly Dentist

Sure, you may only trust the current dentist that you’re with, but there’s a good chance your child doesn’t! And if they don’t, they’re never going to enjoy heading out to the dentist with you. Yes, kids can pick up on how the good vibes their parents put out, but if you’ve made them aware of the story that made sure you only trust this dentist, some bad ideas can fill up their heads!

So you might have to switch to a more family friendly dentist, and head to a practice that’s known for its child friendly atmosphere, and how patient and understanding the staff are. If you have no idea where to start looking for a dentist like this, be sure to find out some reviews and opinions first.  Maybe all your mommy friends have a practice they like to go to, or maybe you just need to take a look online for some recommendations. Either way, the process doesn’t have to be hard to complete.

Explain Things Simple (and don’t overdo the positivity!)

Your child might want to know about all the different things about your new family friendly dentist and what they might say about their teeth, but actually telling them the reality of the situation is most likely going to scare and confuse them further. After all, no one wants to hear about a filling they MAY have to go through, not unless it’s an assured thing the dentist themself has recommended! So be sure to not let your child’s head fill up with maybes, and keep things short and sweet for better confidence.

And as you’re doing this, be sure to not overdo the reassurance you give them either. Yes, you want your child to be comfortable and relaxed when going into a medical situation, with you at their side as a guiding hand and light. But if you tell them everything will be fine, and then it turns out they do, in fact, need that filling, they can easily lose trust in you. And as a result, they lose trust in their new family friendl dentist as well. Seeing as Mommy lied to them, there’s nothing good that can happen whilst sitting back in the dentist’s chair!

Avoid Scary Words

When you’re talking to your child about how their next family friendly dentist visit might go, you’re going to want to talk in short and sweet terms, like we mentioned above. But aside from that, you’re going to want to think about the language you use at the same time. For example, telling your little girl, who hates the idea of a stranger poking around her teeth, that there won’t be any pain involved implies that pain is a possibility. Sure, it’s a subtle thing to infer, but your kids can and will do so!

Be sure to use child friendly terms, and even use hints of the imagination here and there, to make sure anything you tell your kid about the dentist is something they can understand and relate to. After all, they’re not going to understand what plaque is quite just yet, so be a little more babyish with your terms about the dangers their teeth could be in – ‘sugar bugs’ perhaps, when a dentist is searching for cavities. Maybe even use the term ‘sleepy juice’ if your child requires anesthesia or some gas to help calm them down.

Start at a Young Age

Do your kids hate having to go to medical appointments? It’s quite likely they do – kids can have very complicated feelings about seeing a doctor or the dentist! However, if you start with regular visits to the dentist at a young age, and you talk about the benefits openly with them, seeing the dentist will soon become a non-issue as they grow. 

Not to mention the amount of friendly family dentists there are out there! These professionals know how to work with young, potentially anxious children, and that’s invaluable to you right now. Indeed, as long as you have a A Caring Dentist to visit, you’ll be able to quickly warm your kids to the normality of seeing the dentist. You can prove it doesn’t have to be scary, which is an important lesson to learn before the age of 10. 

Your child probably fears the dentist, even if it’s a family friendly dentist, but don’t worry too much, you can help them get over these fears with just a few words and actions here and there. And you won’t have to worry too much – you only visit the dentist twice a year.