Did you know that 1 out of 5 kids between ages 5-11 have at least one untreated cavity? It’s no surprise that the reason is usually fear of the dentist. Helping your children calm dental anxiety before they go visit the dentist is key to helping your kids have healthy teeth.
Keep reading to learn top tips to help calm dental anxiety.
1. Tell Your Kids About Their Dentist Visit
This might sound obvious but sometimes parents wait until the last minute to tell their child that they are visiting the dentist. Instead of waiting until the day of or the night before your child’s visit tell them ahead of time. Talk to them about what they should expect and encourage them to tell you about any fears they might have.
Also, encourage them to ask questions so that you can clear up any misconceptions they might have. Communication is key when it comes to prepping your child and helping them calm any anxiety they might have about visiting the dentist.
If they ask you any questions make sure to keep your answers short and to the point in order to avoid giving them a complex answer that can create more anxiety. If you’re thrown any questions that stump you, suggest writing them down to ask the dentist themselves.
Professionals such as Dallas pediatric dentist are trained to answer any questions without scaring their patients. Leave the difficult questions for the pros.
2. Talk About the Positives
Focus on educating your child about the importance of having healthy teeth and gums. Remind them of the positive benefits of having a healthy smile.
You can also use the opportunity to tell them about who the dentist is. Educate them that the dentist is a friendly doctor that wants to help people have healthy teeth and gums.
This is not the time to tell your child about a bad experience you might have had when you visited the dentist. Be as positive as you can be to avoid creating unnecessary anxiety.
3. Teach Them Relaxation Techniques
You can teach your child how to take a deep breath in and slowly breathe out when they begin to feel anxious about the dentist. The good thing is that learning this relaxation technique can help them calm anxiety in any situation which can benefit them in the long run.
Remind them to do this on the way to the dentist visit and while they’re sitting in the dentist chair. This technique will help them slowly relax as they take their mind away from their anxiety and focus on their breathing instead.
Are You Ready to Calm Dental Anxiety for Your Child?
Hopefully, you are feeling better equipped to calm dental anxiety for your little one. The dentist doesn’t have to be a scary doctor to visit, in fact, it should be something they look forward to and carry on into their adulthood.