Many people have anxiety when it comes to visiting the dentist, and a lot of that stress stems back to childhood. This is why it’s so important to ease your children’s fears when visiting the dentist for their first time.
Have an ongoing conversation with your child about their oral health, and help them with brushing and flossing so they understand it’s important to take care of their teeth. Talk to them about the dentist in a positive way and never voice your own fears or use scary words, so when the time comes to visit their dentist, they aren’t afraid, surprised or feel this is out of the norm. Explain things in terms they understand and talk them through what to expect from their first visit to the dentist, making sure they know they can ask questions or voice any concerns they may have during their time in the chair. Your goal is to have your child look at visiting the dentist as a positive experience, not one associated with any fear, stress, or anxiety.
Choose a dentist that has a reputation for being great with kids. Try to find an office like Progressive Dental; that can accommodate patients of all ages, including pediatric patients. This way, you can be sure the dentist and anyone else working on your child is skilled in treating children. You’re looking for someone with a gentle, friendly touch and demeanor that your child will feel safe with. You can explain to the dentist that your child may be experiencing some anxiety about their first visit, and they will respond accordingly. Also, before their own visit, your child can come with you to the same office to watch you have your teeth cleaned and examined by the dentist, which will ease their fears by managing expectations of what their own visit should be like. Remember not to show any fear or anxiety about visiting your dentist while your child is present or they may take on your fears as well.
If you’re unable to bring them in to your own appointment, schedule a quick meet and greet, where you can bring your child in just to look around, meet the dentist or hygienist that will be working on him/her, and test out the chair. Having this experience will help your child understand and feel more familiar with what is/will be happening when they come for their first official visit.
To help maintain an ease with their dentist, as well as maintain their overall oral health, stay consistent with your child’s appointments, bringing them in for a cleaning/exam at least once every six months. This consistency, as well as all the other ideas mentioned above, should help ease your child’s fears or curiosity about the dentist and see that this visit isn’t one to dread, but instead is supposed to be a positive experience each time he/she sits in the dental chair.
