Taking your child to the dentist for the first time can be a daunting experience for you both. That first cavity filling can set the tone for every other dentist visit that comes after. How will your child feel? How will your child react?
These are reasonable thoughts for any parent to have. However, there are many ways in which you can make your child feel comfortable about visiting the dentist. Take a look at how to ease your child into pediatric dentistry.
1. Remain Calm
If you’re nervous or anxious about the visit, your child will pick up on it and mimic your feelings. Firstly, if your child is nervous, your nerves won’t comfort them. Secondly, if your child isn’t nervous you could create a problem that was never there, to begin with.
Even if you have some nerves about the visit, you should always downplay it to your child. When you talk about visiting the dentist, you should ensure your child that there’s nothing to worry about.
2. Answer Questions
Young children are inquisitive. If your child asks lots of questions about visiting the dentist, be open and honest about it. When you register with a kid’s dentist in Fort Worth, you can ask for a tour so your child knows a bit about what to expect.
When visiting for a cavity filling, it’s okay to explain the process to your child beforehand. You may feel like withholding parts of the process is a form of protection but it’s far better, to be honest about what will happen.
3. Look at the Options
Young children often find it difficult to sit still. So, as a parent, you may be wondering how you’ll get through the procedure without your child being uncomfortable or wanting to get up. Talk to your Fort Worth kid’s dentist and find out what your options are.
Your child may need to be sedated through the process. This will save them from feeling anxious or being in pain. Your child may feel slightly foggy when waking up but the effects of the sedation will pass fairly quickly.
4. Think About What You’re Saying
Although it’s important, to be honest about what will happen, you should think about how you say it to your child. Words like ‘needles’ or ‘pain’ could be anxiety triggers for children. Think of other ways to describe what will happen.
For instance, explain that your child will feel a little pinch or sting, instead of talking about needles. You can also tell your child that his mouth may feel numb and he may talk a little funny for a while. You can turn this into a joke to make him feel more comfortable about the process.
5. Describe Your Own Experience
While you may not love going to the dentist yourself, it can help your child if you describe your own experiences. Your child must understand that everyone needs to go to the dentist and it’s a natural part of life.
Whether you have the same dentist or your child has a separate kids dentist in Fort Worth TX, your experiences will be similar. Let your child look at your filings so he can see that there’s no big deal to the outcome.
6. Take a Security Item
Your child may feel more comfortable if you take one or two items from home. Perhaps he has a favorite blanket or a favorite toy that he can hold while in the dentist’s chair. Sitting in the waiting area can also be a trigger for anxiety if your child’s mind isn’t occupied.
Make sure to have your phone or tablet with you so your child can watch a show or play a game while you wait. If you forget to bring them, engage your child in a game, like ‘I spy’.
7. This Isn’t Punishment
It can be difficult to get children to truly care about taking care of their teeth. However, the threat of the dentist shouldn’t be the tactic parents use to make it happen. If a child doesn’t want to brush their teeth and their parent says, ‘if you don’t brush your teeth you’ll need to go to the dentist, it makes visiting the dentist sound like a punishment.
Similarly, when cavities occur, they shouldn’t be seen as a punishment for eating candy. Your child may not want to go to checkups if he feels he might be punished.
Finding the Right Dentist
The right dentist will always play a vital role in making your child feel comfortable about having a cavity filling. Although, as a parent, it will be largely up to you to make your child feel at ease, your dentist will be able to set the pace of the appointment.
Fort Worth pediatric dentistry is full of qualified and experienced pediatric dentists that know exactly what to do when a child feels anxious about treatment. From distraction techniques to sedation and rewards, your dentist will always be helpful.
Your Family and Pediatric Dentistry
Pediatric dentistry is designed specifically for the treatment of children, so you can be sure that your dentist will be skilled and flexible to your needs. It’s important that the experiences your children have at the dentist forge the way for a healthy relationship with dentistry in adulthood.
For more information about pediatric dentistry in your area, take a look at the rest of our website or contact us for more information.