Taking your child to the dentist is a big part of the childhood chore list. The tantrums of your children aside, the other considerable factor during these visits is you as a parent. What you do at the dentists’ office and how you behave can influence the way your child behaves.
Besides, dentists probably have their own list of complaints about the foibles of parents at the pediatric dentist’s office. Not to mention the fact that already-nervous children do not in any way, benefit from parental breakdowns or ignorance.
Your dentist will tell you, in a significant number of children, the primary reason for such fear and anxiety for even the first dental visit is your treatment of the situation. Like everywhere else, the dental office has a list of dos and don’ts. Here’s a rundown of all the things you need to know before your child’s dental visit.
Good Parenting
This involves anticipating and dealing with situations before they actually occur. In this case, you can forestall any unforeseen mishaps at the dental office by beginning right at home.
1. Never threaten your child with visits to the pediatric dentist’s office for misbehavior or lack of oral hygiene. This might get them to behave temporarily, but the relief is short-lived, and the long-term results are a nightmare.
2. By giving them the idea that the dentist is a person to fear, you contribute to their anxiety of the unknown, and your dental visit is very likely to go downhill from there.
3. Try not to leave your child unsupervised during their oral hygiene routine, particularly when they first begin doing it alone. You don’t want to end up taking them to visit the dentist more often than you’d like. Watch and teach.
4. It might seem easier all-round to let them have their own way with what to eat, but too much junk just means way too many cavities and endless dental appointments. Encourage healthy eating and make sure to provide enough Vitamin C and fibrous foods.
5. Do not take your children along with you on your dental visits. Unless you know you can be brave and that dental treatment is not going to faze you, it is always best to avoid taking your child along. If you know you’re going to convey some degree of hurt, fear, frustration, or anxiety, then refrain from subjecting them to the visual perception of the dentist as scary.
If, however, you can be a role model in the dental chair, it may be a positive thing to bring your child along! When they see you calm and unruffled, it leaves them with an unbiased opinion and a willingness to have their oral health looked after by the dentist.
At the Office
1. Your children might need you to provide them with the comfort of knowing you’re there – but don’t overdo it. Anxiety and a visible loss of control in front of your children will only serve to convince them they have something to fear.
2. Ask your questions, but don’t make it look like you doubt what the dentist is saying or doing. Recounting personal experiences is also unnecessary. If you’ve had bad or painful experiences with dentists in the past, there’s no reason for you to talk about them in glorious detail right in front of your child.
You may be apprehensive about the same thing happening to your child but, if so, talk to them alone. Make sure that your child is not within hearing range, or even watching your anxious expressions. Any slight trigger can get them wondering and worrying.
3. Be truthful, but don’t make a big deal out of it. If your child is afraid the procedure they are about to undergo is painful, do not lie to them. Lying outright and telling them it does not hurt at all will only make them distrust you.
When they do end up experiencing a little pain, they may immediately respond negatively. Instead, tell them it may hurt a little, but the doctor is going to give them some medicines to numb, remove, or reduce the pain. This prepares them without scaring them, and you may find them quite accommodating.
4. Do not offer bribes or rewards. Telling them to behave – and offering a reward for it – will automatically make them worry and fuss. Also, it teaches them to expect the same in the future and throw tantrums if those expectations are not met.
Another watch-out zone is offering them chocolates as a reward. The whole point of dental visits is to promote dental health and encourage cutting down on sweet foods that cause cavities.
5. To better help them, you could let the dentist say whatever is necessary and encourage them to be brave. At the end of the treatment, perhaps a gold star can be awarded for being good. This is more balanced and also do-able at each appointment.
The visit to the pediatric dentist’s office is obligatory and not an option. It is a necessity your child, as well as you, must understand the importance. As a parent, you know your child best, you may also be able to figure out from these points what works best for your child and what areas you need to work on.
How your child’s dental visits go depends mostly on how you contribute to or influence their views and experiences. As parents, it is easy to sometimes forget children are very literally-minded. They need to be handled differently from adults, particularly when it comes to medical or other significant issues.
It is also easy to be confused about how to handle your child’s specific needs at a pediatric dentist’s office, but that’s why the dentist is there. Be calm and supportive, take tips from these pointers, and you should be good to go. Here are simple tips to help you prepare for your child’s tooth extraction.
