Studies show that an alarming percentage of adults suffer from anxiety at the thought of an upcoming dentist appointment. Needless to say, our children may be scared, too.
This is perfectly natural, as children are creatures of habit and any new situation can trigger fear in their minds. Especially if it involves a stranger in new environment with loud jarring noises, big machines, sharp instruments, and potentially some pain, too.
1. Start taking your child to the dentist when they are very young
Take your child to the dentist as soon as the first tooth erupts in their mouth, or when the child turns one year old — whichever event occurs earlier. The advantage of starting with regular dental checkups early on is that this gives dental visits a chance to become a normal part of your child’s routine.
The first visit becomes a means of familiarizing the child with the layout and general ideas of the dental clinic and with the dentist as a person — that way, the concept of dentistry becomes clear to your child before they ever need actual treatment, which can sometimes be frightening.
2. Practice good oral hygiene with your child at home
Teach your child the advantage — or should we say, essential nature? — of brushing twice daily and rinsing the mouth after any food or drink. Children learn well with repetition and making game of cleaning all the germs in the mouth to prevent any cavities may work in motivating them, and also delaying any need for dental treatment. Talk about the dentist as a friend who keeps their teeth healthy and strong. Offer a healthy diet low in sugar, and explain that sugar is bad for your teeth.
Bonus tip — if you do give your child sugary treats sometimes, it's much better for them to eat them fairly quickly. Candies like lollipops, which spend a long time in the mouth, give bacteria an environment they love.
3. Do pretend dentist visits as a game
Toddlers love pretend play, so do a "dentist visit game", that teaches your child that dentists look inside the mouth, could do wonders at allaying anxiety and fear. Give your child a torch and a small mirror, open wide, and ask them to count all your teeth. You could pretend there is a cavity that needs filling and emulate the loud noise of the dental drill just to get the child accustomed. Pretend to take an X-ray showing a picture of the child’s teeth. Make the child do a quick cleaning of your teeth and explain that it only tickles a little!
With preschoolers, you can also explain the dentist as some kind of mythical germ-slayer, whose tools and special chair help them defeat the enemies within their own mouth. Your child needs a filling? It's a fortress to protect their teeth against bacterial enemies!
4. Don’t transfer your fears of dental treatment to your child
Never convey your fears of the dentist — which can of course range from mild to really very severe — to your child. If you had a bad experience with the dentist or suffer from dental anxiety, don’t talk about that experience. Don’t use the words drill, injection, or pain to describe the dental procedure to your child. Don’t get into too many details and allow the dentist to explain the procedure to the child in their own way.
If you suffer from severe dental fear as a parent, it may be time for you to overcome that to avoid transferring this anxiety to your child. Therapy approaches like exposure therapy can be very effective in helping you overcome phobias of the dentist.
As a side note, if your child does express some fears of the dentist, try to acknowledge them without reinforcing those fears. You can mirror their words back at them, saying, "Oh, you are a little worried about going to the dentist?". Maybe share that it's normal to be a little frightened, but the dentist is there to help them keep their teeth strong and healthy.
5. Look for dentists who specialize in the treatment of children
Also, the dentist may allow your child to take a small toy with them on the dental chair. Dentists who exclusively treat children, called pediatric dentists, often have their own ways of explaining things to children in a manner that doesn’t make your child feel scared. They will also introduce their tools and machinery in a child-friendly manner.
6. Familiarize the child with dental visits before you go into the clinic
Don’t wait until the last minute to talk to your child about their upcoming dental appointment. Explain what they can expect during a routine checkup or emergency visit (depending on what you'll be doing at the dentist) in a very simple and positive way. You could read a storybook about dentist visits to your child, or show them a cartoon video or a video game regarding a dental appointment so that they can relate to it better.
7. Tell, show, do
You could take your child along to your own dental appointment, but this is only a good idea if you do not suffer from any dental anxiety and if the procedure that's going to be performed is a short and simple one like a dental cleaning or filling.
8. Positive reinforcement
This is a tricky road to go down! The treat promised should never be candy or chocolate, as it goes against the effort to teach good dietary habits. You also don't want to bribe the child or be held ransom to good behavior only with the promise of forthcoming rewards. We are not nurturing sociopaths, no. The reward should be simple and given at the end of the visit like a new book or a visit to the park.
A final word
Once you are at the dental office, be prepared for a little crying on your child’s part. Tackle it calmly in a smiling and comforting manner. Congratulate your child on small things like opening his or her mouth wide. Shower the child with compliments on how brave and cooperative the child is being.