How To Help A Child That's Afraid Of The Dentist

13 August 2020
 Categories: Dentist, Blog

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Not everyone enjoys visits to the dentist, but it's possible that your child is afraid of their dentist due to all the sights and sounds that they experience when they visit. Here are some tips to try that can help a child that's afraid of the dentist. 

Do Not Surprise Your Child

You may think it's easier to keep your child's appointment a bit of a mystery and surprise them by just showing up at the dentist office. This technique is sure to get a negative reaction out of your child, and may even lead to them throwing a temper tantrum at the dentist office. Always make sure that they are aware of what is happening a couple days in advance so that they will not be caught off guard and so that they can process what is going to happen. 

Listen To Their Concerns

Don't make the mistake of dismissing your child's concerns about going to the dentist. This is a real fear that even impacts some adults who have been visiting the dentist for years, so it is worth listening to their concerns to determine what is wrong. For example, they may tell you that they don't like the sounds of the drills that they hear from other patients, and you can solve this by giving them headphones to listen to music.

Tell Them What Will Happen

It's important to explain to your child what will happen at the appointment so that they know what to expect. This will help keep their mind from running wild with the possibilities of things that are not going to happen. If they are going just to have their teeth cleaned and examined, let them know that. This can help ease their anxiety and prevent them from thinking that they will have a tooth pulled or a cavity filled. 

Offer A Reward

It could help to offer your child some sort of reward so that they have something to help push them through the appointment. It could be something small like going out to get ice cream after the appointment or getting a new toy that they have been wanting. Knowing that there is something they will receive for attending the appointment and demonstrating good behavior may be that small bit of motivation that they need.

Visiting to the dentist does not have to be a scary experience. Ask your child's dentist for more tips on how to help your child deal with their fear and make it an enjoyable visit..