Is Your Child Afraid Of Going To The Dentist?

As an adult, you know there is nothing to fear at the dentist's office. However, your child might not be totally convinced. Since skipping dental checkups is not an option, you need to find ways to help your child overcome his or her anxieties about the dentist. Here are a few methods you can try:

Keep Your Answers Simple

When your child has questions about the dental checkup or procedures, try to keep your answers simple and to-the-point. The more complex your answer is, the more frightening it can sound to your child.

Offering complex answers can also confuse your child. Your child's dentist has been trained to explain dental procedures to children. Let him or her provide the more detailed explanations.

Do Not Share Your Own Experiences

One of the biggest mistakes you can make while trying to comfort your child is to talk about past dental experiences you have had. Even if the experience was positive, there is a chance that your child might misunderstand something and that could feed into his or her anxieties.

Some parents think that taking their children to their own dental checkups will help the child to feel better about going to the dentist. However, this could have the opposite impact. Your child will be keenly aware of any anxieties that you display. Even if you think you are being calm, you might not be as comfortable as you think. Your nervousness could lead your child to feel even more fear.

Distract Your Child

Your child's dentist understands the importance of keeping children distracted during a dental checkup. From the time you and your child walk into the dentist's office, there are things in place to distract him or her. For instance, the televisions in the lobby are there to keep your child occupied.

You can also use this to help your child through appointments. Take along toys, books, or other items that are comforting and distracting with you to your child's appointments. You also need to stay engaged with your child during the visit. Tell him or her jokes or talk to him or her about subjects that are interesting. Before you and your child realize it, the visit will be over.

If your child continues to experience anxiety, talk to a dental office like Northwest Dental Services and Implant Center. The dentist can provide helpful pointers on how to ease your child's nervousness. The dentist can also discuss measures that he or she can take to help your child relax. 

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