Dental anxiety is a widespread problem among children, often leading them to avoid dentist visits due to fear and consequently missing dental appointments – this can have serious repercussions in terms of both their oral health and further problems later on.
There are ways you can help ease their anxiety and make dental visits simpler for both of you.
How to overcome fear of visiting dentist?
Make the Visit Fun
Your goal should be to give your child a pleasant dental visit experience, helping them build trust in their dentist and feel at ease throughout their appointments. Prepare them by discussing it beforehand, reading books that explain the dentist’s tasks together and role-playing with dolls or stuffed animals during visits.
Diversion techniques are particularly effective at relieving children’s dental anxiety. Encourage them to bring along a stuffed animal, blanket, or any other comfort item they might use during their appointment, as well as taking advantage of amenities like televisions and music typically offered at dental clinics to take their mind off any potential discomfort they might be feeling.
Finally, try scheduling your child’s appointments on days when they tend to be in good spirits and well rested, in order to reduce stress-inducing situations like dentist appointments. Furthermore, try sticking with one dentist so they can establish trust through regular interactions, helping reduce anxiety levels over time.
Find a Pediatric Dentist Who Specializes in Working With Young Patients
Child with dental anxiety often exhibit signs of distress when visiting the dentist, including crying, throwing tantrums and refusing to cooperate. If these issues go unaddressed they can lead to more severe oral health concerns requiring expensive treatment later on.
Opting for a dentist who specializes in working with children can make all the difference for your little one. With their years of experience working with this demographic, they know exactly how to create an inviting atmosphere where children feel at ease while under treatment.
Before your child visits their first dental appointment, it’s advisable to inform them about their anxieties. A dentist will be able to answer any queries or help calm any nerves.
One effective way to help your children overcome their fear of visiting the dentist is through role-playing before their actual visit. Have them take turns acting as both patient and dentist. Role play using dolls or stuffed animals also works well so that your kids get used to what will be coming their way.
Encourage Your Child to Bring Along Their Favorite Toy or Stuffed Animal
Dental anxiety in children is extremely common, and it’s essential that it’s addressed early on. Children who experience anxiety about dental visits may go on to neglect oral hygiene as adults resulting in poor dental hygiene and potentially serious health consequences.
Help your child conquer dental anxiety by making the experience seem normal and natural. Even if you dislike dentists, try being positive around your child and using positive language when discussing appointments. Reading books about dentists may also provide some helpful practice at home.
Distraction techniques can also help your child relax during an appointment with the pediatric dentist. Most pediatric offices feature televisions and music in their waiting rooms for this purpose; additionally, encouraging your child to bring along his/her favorite stuffed animal or blanket can make their visit more comforting as kids find comfort by holding onto something familiar during their visit.
Talk to Your Child About Their Fears
Children express their fear and anxiety in different ways; some might cry, while others might get angry or throw tantrums. Therefore, it’s essential that you talk with your kids about any fears and apprehensions they might have before their dental appointment.
Explain what they can expect at the dentist using positive language, and show that no matter their fears are all common experiences that they should not feel ashamed to share with anyone.
Some kids may be fearful of the smells and sounds found in dental offices, while others fear any discomfort or embarrassment associated with certain procedures, such as toothache treatment or fillings. Children with noticeable dental deformities or issues often fear being teased about them by peers.
Play dentist with your child to help them learn what awaits them at a visit to the dentist. Role-play as you take turns playing dentist, having them examine both your own or one of their favorite dolls’ or stuffed animal’s teeth as the exam takes place.
Encourage Your Child to Ask Questions
By discussing their anxiety with them and explaining that your own fears and nervousness is normal, it will help them see that dental visits don’t need to be terrifying experiences. Furthermore, encouraging children to ask questions during their appointment will allow them to learn about what happens during an appointment and could possibly alleviate some fears as the answers provided may also serve to ease them.
Children who fear dentists are at a greater risk for missing essential dental treatment and suffering serious oral health complications, including tooth decay (cavities), gum disease (gingivitis) and even tooth loss. Therefore it’s a wise idea to establish regular visits from when their first tooth erupts until they become adults.
If your children don’t visit their dentist on a regular basis, they could forget what it feels like to visit, resulting in anxiety-inducing visits that lead to future dental problems that will be more expensive, painful and more challenging for them to manage. This may cause more costly solutions down the line that will be more challenging for you and them alike to deal with.
