3 Ways To Help Your Little One Not Fear The Dentist
Posted on: 23 June 2015
For many adults and children alike, the thought of going to the dentist scares them. Instead of embracing the visit, they tend to run away from it in fear. While it is natural to be scared of different things in life, a visit with the dentist doesn't have to be one of them. To help calm your child's fears, there are a few simple tips and tricks you can use from an early age. In doing so, it will make your visit with the dentist stress free.
Start Taking Them from a Young Age
By taking your child to the dentist from an early age, it will provide them with a sense of peace about going to see the dentist. Once the first tooth makes an appearance, you will want to schedule an appointment with the dentist. In doing so, it gets your child used to what is to come as they grow older. It's the fear of the unknown that tends to make kids scared. By establishing a pattern, you can help to eliminate that fear.
Keep Things Simple
As you prepare your little one for a visit to the dentist, especially when it is their first time going, you don't want to flood them with a bunch of details. If you tell them a lot of information that doesn't pertain to them, you can make them anxious and filled with questions. Don't talk about cavities if your child isn't going to get one filled. You want to keep the discussion positive, without giving them a sense of false hope.
Don't tell your child that everything is going to be okay if you don't know that. In the event your child does need some type of treatment, it can turn them sour on the dentist and you. The last thing you want is to make them lose their trust in the provider because you told them inaccurate information.
Have a Pretend Visit
Before your children go to the dentist for their first visit, consider having a pretend one at home. Give your little one a mirror for them to see their teeth. Go through and count them with your child and show them how the dentist is going to look at their teeth. Let your child practice on one of their toys. This gets them used to the routine and helps them feel more comfortable.
In practicing the tips above, you can make sure your child's visit to the pediatric dentist is a pleasant one for years to come.
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