How to Help Kids Overcome Dental Anxiety
We know that visiting the dentist can be stressful for kids. In their point of view, a trip to the dentist means lying on a chair in an unfamiliar place filled with noises, all while someone is poking unusual instruments in their mouth. These fears can have both short and long term effects on your children’s oral health.
That’s one of the reasons why Dr. Vest in Providence, UT works so hard to help kids overcome this fear of going to the dentist.
What Can Parents Do To Help with Anxious Kids at the Dentist
Bring your child into the dentist at an early age. The earlier, the better. Plus, this gives us time to ease your child into it and help them feel more comfortable in the new environment.
Talk positively about your child’s dentist visit. Make sure to avoid negative language like “pain” or “shot” that might make the visit seem scary. Instead, focus on things like “clean and healthy teeth.” It’s typically helpful to not include too many details about the visit because it might raise more questions that can cause unnecessary anxiety. It also can help to let the pediatric dentist and staff introduce words like: shot, hurt or pain to help them get through difficult situations.
Stage a Pretend Visit. This one’s easy and kids love it! All you’ll need is a toothbrush (avoid making drilling noises or lining up other “instruments” that can look scary). Try holding up a mirror to their teeth and show them how the dentist might check their teeth. Then let your child role-play by using a toothbrush to clean the teeth of a doll or stuffed animal.
Stay Calm During the Visit. It’s normal for kids to get fussy and upset during the appointment. If you show that you are alarmed by it, it’ll potentially feed into your child’s anxiety. Try to stay as calm as you can and let Dr. Vest and our staff guide the visit. Pediatric Dentists are very experienced at finding techniques that can help nervous kids feel at ease during the visit.
Positive Reinforcement. Give your child something to look forward to after their trip to the dentist. At Wasatch Pediatric Dentistry in Providence, UT– your child can expect to receive a small prize after their visit.
Choose a Pediatric Dentist. Pediatric Dentists are trained to cater to the emotional needs of children and provide a calming and fun waiting room by offering games & prizes to receive after their visit. In addition, we’ve seen our fair of nervous kids and we’ve learned a trick or two to help them get through their visit and feel good about coming back again in six months!
Schedule Your Child’s Pediatric Dentist Appointment in Providence, UT
Call (435) 999-0234 to schedule your child’s appointment or submit a form here. We serve patients in Logan, Providence, Smithfield and the surrounding areas throughout Cache Valley!