What to Do If Your Child Is Anxious About Going to the Dentist

Anxiety over going to the dentist is something that affects a large number of people. For this reason, many people tend to not visit the dentist as often as they should. Unfortunately, avoiding the dentist for too long can lead to dental problems that might even require more invasive procedures to correct.

Reducing the chances that someone will suffer from anxiety about going to the dentist starts by introducing someone to dental hygiene practices at a young age. By taking your child to the dentist, you help set them up for a life of good dental health. Children aren’t free from dental anxiety, though, and it can be tough bringing your child to a point where they are comfortable with visiting the dentist at all.

If your child is anxious regarding an upcoming dental visit, here are a few things you can do to help make them more comfortable with the overall experience.

Find a Good Family Dentist

When your child is anxious about going to the dentist, it can often help to know that they aren’t the only ones having a check-up and cleaning. Going to a family dentist makes it possible for you all to not only have the same dentist but to also potentially schedule appointments for the same day. Knowing that you are going to be seeing the dentist can help your child feel more comfortable.

Moreover, by going to a family dental practice, you know that the hygienist and dentist that your child will be seeing are particularly trained to help kids who might be worried about their check-up. They will know how to explain the process calmly so that your child will understand what is going to happen throughout the appointment. You can find a great family dental practice by checking out bafdentistry.com.

Have a Practice Visit

One proactive thing that you can do that can go a long way to making your child less afraid of the dentist is to have a “practice” dental appointment. Talk to your dentist about the specific things that will happen during their visit. Then, you can act out the appointment step by step for your child, explaining things before they are going to happen.

Make sure that you avoid talking about potential pain or discomfort that they might feel. While their very well might be a bit of pain involved when they are actually at the dentist, particularly if your child has a toothache, it is far better to leave the explanation of such things to the dentist if and when the situation should arise. There is no need to get your child worked up over nothing if it does turn out that they are set to have a pain-free visit.

Ultimately, communicating with your dentist ahead of time is an excellent thing for both you and your child. You can get some helpful information that you can then pass along to your child in a fun and relaxed manner.