As a young mother, I was reasonably ignorant when raising my firstborn. My biggest regret is that I didn't help her take better care of her teeth. Like many people, I didn't realise the importance of baby teeth, resulting in long-term dental problems. Recently, my daughter got married and some of my tears were for the beautiful, glistening smile she presented to the cameras. Ever since I realised the dental damage I had caused, I had been saving for my daughter to have cosmetic dentistry. The results are remarkable. During the course of this journey, I have learnt a lot about caring for children's teeth and corrective procedures that can be undertaken when issues arise. I am sure many of you would be interested in the latest knowledge and techniques that are available to prevent and repair dental complications. I'm Margret Devlin - thanks for visiting.
Children aren't born with an innate fear of the dentist; however, some kids become scared of dentists as they get older. If your child is showing signs of dental anxiety or you just want to make sure that visiting the dentist doesn't become a problem, you should take some time to understand the reasons why some kids freak out at the thought of a dental check-up.
Kids Pick Up On Your Feelings
Children are very good at reading their parent's feelings even if you don't say anything negative. If you don't much like the dentist yourself, your child may sense your anxiety when you have to visit the dentist or even when you talk about it.
If you can't control your anxiety before a check-up, it might be better not to tell your child that you're going to the dentist. Your child may still notice that you're a bit stressed but may not know why. Even if you don't voice your anxiety, the fact that you're stressed before an appointment and then relieved afterwards sends the message that the dentist is something to worry about.
Reassuring Words May Make Kids Suspicious
Kids aren't stupid. They work out quite early that their parents use tactics to persuade them to do things that they don't want to do or may not like. If you use reassuring words for no reason, your child may become suspicious that something is going on.
For example, mentioning that a check-up won't hurt may reassure a child who is worried. However, telling kids that something won't hurt when they didn't think it would in the first place may have the opposite effect. Your child may then start to wonder why you brought the subject up.
Dental Words Have Scary Associations
It's important to remember that your child has no frame of reference for the tools or procedures a dentist uses. Some kids become a little worried about visiting the dentist if they hear that dentists use drills, injections and needles. For example, your child may not yet know that there is a difference between a dentist's delicate drill and the drill you might use for DIY work. You may find it better to avoid using these words when you're talking to your child about dental treatments.
Kids Like to Scare Other Kids
As your child gets older, they may hear made-up stories from other kids about the horrible things the dentist will do. To reassure your child, explain that their friends are teasing and that you have never had these problems when you've seen the dentist.
A Dentist's Office Can Be a Scary Place
According to the Better Health Channel, children should have their first dental check-up by the time they are two. If you take kids to the dentist from this age, they get used to the environment and accept regular check-ups as part of their routine.
However, if you leave the first visit until your child is older, they may be intimidated by the clinic environment and may start to get anxious about visiting the dentist. If you don't feel that your dentist is set up to make things welcoming for kids, it may be better to switch to using a children's dentist whose office environment may be a little more child-friendly.
For more information, contact Precision Dental Care @ Kingston or a similar organization.
Share28 March 2016
