What to Do if Your Child Is Scared of the Dentist

Children assess many situations through the prism of parental behavior and the comments they have heard. Their own experience is added to the information they receive, and the child "makes a decision" about further behavior in medical clinics. It does not always happen consciously, but most of the reasons for fear of doctors "come from" the family.

The main reasons for a child's fear of the dentist's office

Threats.
It is not uncommon for adults to scare naughty children, using fear as an element of education. If the phrase "you will eat candy, you will have to treat teeth - and it hurts" is heard in the house, it is not surprising that a child panics at the dentist's office.

Deception.
In an attempt to protect the child, parents do not always tell the truth, mentions R.Mammadli from Oral Health Blog. Therefore, when "the doctor will just look at teeth" turns into a full-fledged treatment, the baby gets a shock. Expect in the future that the crumb will agree to come to the doctor voluntarily, it is no longer worth it.

Adult talk.
When medicine, doctors and procedures are discussed in a negative way at home, your baby gets the feeling emotionally that it is not necessary to agree to communicate with doctors.

Personal experience.
Not all dentists are willing to seek an approach to children. Doctors in state clinics work on a stream - appointments are limited in time, everything is done quickly and productively, without goodwill or comfort. Pain during treatment leads to the formation of a steady fear of dentists.

Many parents know in advance what is bad and good for the baby, and do not allow such situations. But if children have already started to be afraid of dentists, it is necessary to fight with fears consistently and carefully.

How to teach a child not to be afraid of the dentist: tips from psychologists

The most frequent age when parents begin to seek an answer to the question "what to do - the child is afraid of doctors" - 3 years. At this age, not all children obey authority anymore - it is impossible to forcibly hold, to force treatment. And if you do not get rid of your child's fear, the problem will remain acute at age 6, at 9 and at 13. By that time, the consequences of ignoring dentists are very serious - up to the removal of molar teeth.

Based on the experience of parents and the advice of psychologists, the best recommendations on how to accustom a child to the dentist have been collected.

Dental visits - every 6 months

In order to maintain oral health, a doctor should be visited twice a year. Few people follow this rule, and so the child ends up in the dentist's chair with a toothache, cavities, and ruined crowns.

Following a schedule of systematic appointments ensures:

• Familiarity with the doctor;
• Relaxation during the examination;
• timely treatment;
• monitoring and professional supervision.

Building trust

An unfamiliar person in a white coat with incomprehensible instruments and wearing a mask is frightening. UtoDent specialists knows that a dentist who calls a young patient by name and speaks clearly about the equipment and procedures creates trust.

A great bonus of professional children's dental clinics are adaptation appointments, where the baby is introduced to the doctor's work and tools in a playful way. At specialized medical centers, every doctor is a psychologist and can easily negotiate with the most stubborn baby. A few adaptation techniques, and the fear disappears forever.

Choosing the right doctor

Good dentists master the art of communication. They come up with interesting stories, choose pleasant words and find a rapport with everyone who comes to the appointment. Preschoolers need stories, older kids need seriousness, and teenagers need a special approach. The child is looking for his or her own ideal doctor, and it is the adults' job to help in the search.

Preparing for an appointment

Many parents know what and how to say to the baby to motivate him to go to the dentist. Fairy tales, funny cartoons, games and toys are used. If you can't build a dialogue, you need to act professionally.

In this case, it is also worth turning to dental adaptation and trust the doctors.

Honestly talk about the upcoming treatment

Psychologists distinguish between mom and dad's approach when communicating with a child. Dad explains through logic, reason; mom - through emotions, feelings. Either way is correct.

It is wrong to remain silent about the upcoming procedure, to deceive, to cajole, to lure the child to the appointment, in the hope that there will not "turn away".

"An honest story is fine, but it's better to trust this conversation to the dentist. The doctor will perfectly explain to the child the intricacies of the upcoming treatment without the dreaded words "shot", "drill", "tools". Parents don't always manage to do this, and children get even more frightened.