Proper dental care is crucial for kids, but as all parents know well, going to the clinic and keeping children in the dentist’s chair isn’t easy. So, appointments are put off and treatments are canceled to keep kids calm and the household tantrum-free.
This isn’t exactly the best fix for the problem though. The first step towards easing their dental anxiety is to know what exactly triggers it. Walker Pediatric Dentistry outlines some common causes of dental fear among children:
Media
What your kids see on TV or in books affects how they perceive things. So, when your kids watch cartoons that commonly portray dentists as the bad guys with injections and drills on hand, this creates a false, negative impression about going to the clinic.
What you should do is arm them with the right perspective of what really happens in the clinic. Take the time to explain that dentists are professionals who studied for years to make sure they’ll be safe during the procedures. Inform them that most dentists provide needle-free or painless dental services. Use these methods to create a better dental experience for kids.
People
Other people may tell about their bad experiences in the clinic and that could also influence your little one’s feelings. This is the reason many child development experts recommend introducing your kids to pediatric dentists early on, so they could build a strong relationship with these professionals even before they could interact.
Bad Experience
If your kids have gone through a horrible experience in the past, that will give them a reason to fear the dentist. In this case, you may want to consider seeing a better dentist.
Is your child afraid of the dentist? Take the time to talk to them and get to the root of the problem. Do something to help your little one win over dental fear or anxiety.
