Going to the dentist isn't any fun, but it is one of those things that just has to be done. For years, I fought the process and didn't go for my regular cleanings and in the end, it sure didn't pay to do so. I ended up spending ten times as much time in the chair and a boat-load of money in dental repairs. If you don't like going to the dentist, you can make it easier on yourself. This blog will show you a few tips that can help you improve the experience and get through the treatment without as much discomfort.
going to the dentist with less anxiety
4 Ways To Ease Your Child's Fear Of The Dentist
Jordan Arnold
When it comes to hygiene, there is little that is more important in your child's life than their oral health, and as such, it is important that they make several visits to the dentist's office in order to maintain the healthiest gums and set of teeth that they possibly can. However, what is for an adult a simple matter of making a visit to a dentist office is something that is radically new for a child, and this experience can be terribly frightening for them. Luckily, there are a number of things you can do that will serve to ameliorate your child's fear of her first visit to the dentist's office.
Start Young
An old adage goes, "The younger the better." This applies to your child's oral health more than anything. In order to provide your child with a dental environment they feel comfortable in, it is best that they start visiting the dentist as early as they can. How early is this, however? Generally speaking, it is best to start sending children to the dentist when one of the following things happen (in other words, whichever one of these events happens first): when the child turns one year of age or 6 months after his or her first tooth appears. This will also give your child time to acclimate to the dentist, such as his or her manners, appearance and practices.
Simplicity
Whenever you're preparing for a dentist visit, make sure this preparation is kept as simple as possible. In a way, you want to curb your child's curiosity about the event so that they will pose fewer questions about the matter. The fewer questions asked, the better the experience will be for both you and child. However, it is important to be realistic. Give your child hope about their dentist visit, but don't paint a picture of a fairy tale visit that they will unequivocally like. Rather, it pays to be realistic about the situation without giving away too many details about what actually occurs in the dentist's chair.
Talking About Pain
When it comes to a dentist's visit, you should watch what sort of words you use around your child. It is best not to use words like "shot" or "pain" when it comes to a dentist's visit. Rather, the dentist's staff has their own vocabulary they use for such experiences, and these words tend to be far less loaded than the ones that people have in their ordinary usage. It is often recommended that you keep things simple when discussing pain – as discussed before! If your child asks about any pain that is involved in a visit to the dentist's office, it is best to ameliorate the situation by telling the child that the dentist wishes to check their smile and count their teeth.
Pretend Visit
A pretend visit is a roleplaying scenario where you play the role of the dentist and attempt to guide your child through the situation that will manifest itself in the dental chair. All you need to do is to grab a toothbrush and count the child's teeth. Use some specific, non-intimidating, pretend instruments by talking about them or even mentioning them by name. Count your child's teeth starting with the number 1 up until the amount that they currently have. Then, allow the child to use the toothbrush on a stuffed animal. This will allow your child to have some experience of the dentist office before even stepping foot in one.
A visit to the dentist's office can be quite scary. However, with some experience, you can overcome these issues. Speak with professionals like Eden Prairie Dental Care for more information.
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