Many do not like going to the dentist. It is hard enough for some adults to find the courage to go, let alone children. 

There is so much fear surrounding a Dental appointment because of the anticipated pain and discomfort that awaits. For this reason, children are never happy to go to the dentist.

As a parent, you need to do whatever is necessary to make your child feel better about going to the dentist. This might not be easy if they have already had unpleasant experiences at the dentist before, or if they know someone at school who has told them horrifying stories about their own dental experiences.

There are specific strategies you can implement to relieve stress and anxiety your child may feel about going to the dentist.

Below are six recmmendations to calm your child down at the dentist.

Find a Family Friendly Dental Practice

To give your child a great experience at the dentist, then you need to find a dental practice that either specializes in serving children or labels themselves as “family-friendly.”

These practices are more tailored to help you with an anxious child. Often they have strategies in place to make your children visit a positive one.

Your child is not the only child who hates going to the dentist. A child-friendly dental practice comes prepared for situations when a child is anxious and crying about being there. 

The dental staff should have a positive attitude and offer a lot of humour and enthusiasm about the dental procedure.

Educate Your Child Early

Youneed to teach and implement good oral hygiene in the daily routine of your child. Their dental education should start on their first birthday because they start growing teeth at six months old.

Get your child accustomed to having their teeth brushed before their first Dental Appointment. Then it will not seem like a big deal when the dentist checks their teeth.

Talk About Positive Experiences at the Dentist

Children love to hear stories from adults. Start telling your child stories about the positive experiences you have had at the dentist. You could talk about how the dentist made your pain go away and made you feel so much better in general.

By hearing these stories regularly, your child will want to have those same experiences too. They may even become enthusiastic about their dental appointment.

Never Talk About Anything Being Painful

Children do not like anything painful. That is why they will cry at the very thought of something being painful.

Therefore, you should never talk about anything being painful at a dental appointment. Describe the experience as relaxing and pleasant, where you do not feel any pain at all.

Show Them Internet Videos of Happy Children with Dentists

YouTube and other video sharing websites feature hundreds of videos about children’s experiences with dentists. Show your child some positive and kid-friendly educational videos about what it is like to go to the dentist.

Children are visual learners, so a real dental video can go a long way in calming down your child’s anxious feelings.

Offer a Reward to Your Child

There is nothing like some good old-fashion bribery to get your child to behave. Offer your child a reward if they would agree to go to the dentist without any resistance.

For instance, you could offer to take your child to the movie theatre to watch a new movie that interests them. Maybe you could offer to buy them a toy at the store. All they have to do in return is agree to let the dentist check and treat their teeth. 

The post How to Calm an Anxious Child at the Dentist appeared first on Incredible Planet.