Dealing with a phobia of the dentist in your child can be an emotional process. Fear of people they don't know, pain, discomfort, odd noises and sensations can be rather overwhelming for a young child, and convincing them that their worry is unfounded is complicated when a lot of dental procedures involve a modest amount of irritation and odd sensations.
You can help your youngster overcome his fear by arranging a consultation visit prior to the actual dental care appointment. This will allow your youngster to meet the oral care staff, explore the office environment, and learn about what happens during a dental visit. Typically, a non-invasive visit to see the dentist will help allay quite a few of the phobias your harbors about dental offices.
It's also possible to help the child discharge their fears by permitting them to watch you while having dental appointments. Children often model the reaction of parents in a new situation. If you deal with your dental care visits without having concern or trepidation, your child will probably do the same.
Make certain to watch what you say about your dental office. Avoid using negative terms or words with aversive associations that your child will perceive as explaining the dentist as something worthy of fear. Always be honest with your child and make sure they know what to prepare for, without talking negatively about the dentist. Your attitude about the dentist has significant power to affect your child's level of fear of the dentist.
Dealing with fear of the pediatric dentist is often made easier by taking along a comfort item, such as a favorite stuffed animal or blanket, during the dental visit. Some dentists may also perform a dental examination on your kid's stuffed animal or doll to show just what will happen. Although it may seem silly, it can help your child relax.
You should consider asking office staff to remove face masks when speaking with your child (when possible) as masked strangers can instill fear in even the bravest of small children. Seeing a smiling, friendly face behind the face mask can help reduce fears.
Handling a kid's fear of the dentist involves explaining what will take place during the visit and permitting them to become comfortable with the office environment and staff. Encourage questions and openly discuss certain fears your child has about visiting the dentist. Remain truthful and let your child know that you'll face his fears together. Keep in mind, helping your youngster be unafraid of the dental office is a common parenting challenge. You can ask your family and friends for more tips on how they have managed fears of the dentist in their own personal children.
Learn about kids dental care in Portland and orthodontics from pediatric dentists on Portland, Oregon. Dr. Mark Mutschler and his staff provide expert information about orthodontic and pediatric dental care to help parents, kids and teens better maintain healthy teeth and gums.
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