Getting Over Your Child’s Fear Of The Dentist

Many adults find the dentist to be an intimidating or even scary place, so it should be no surprise that children can have a lot of anxiety about it, too. If your tyke is scared to come visit us, read on for some helpful advice.

How to talk to your kids about the dentist

When you’re talking to your kids about the dentist, there are a few things to remember. For one, avoid inundating your child with details. It may seem helpful to you to describe what would happen should the dentist discover a cavity, but knowing this may add to your child’s anxiety. It’s also important to be positive. Keep your dentist horror stories to yourself for now, and correct others if they feel inclined to share their own. Lastly, positivity should not look like false hope. Phrases such as “Don’t worry, it won’t hurt,” or “you’ll be fine,” could backfire and can increase anxiety. There’s typically no need, for example, to mention pain at all.

How to prepare your kids for the dentist

There are a ton of things you can do before your visit to help you child feel better about going to the dentist. Playing dentist at home with your child can help relieve anxiety. Pretend to be the dentist and count your tyke’s teeth. You might also consider visiting the office sometime prior to the scheduled appointment, giving your child the opportunity to get to know the space and the staff before facing his/her cleaning.

You’ll be putting your child in good hands when you let lifetime smiles be your pediatric dentist in Austin, TX.