Every parent has a story to tell whenever they need to bring their children to the dentist. Almost, if not all, kids would do everything in their power to resist their parents when they need to visit a dentist.
Use a reward as a form of encouragement
For starters, you need to convince your kid to visit a dentist with no expectations. Once they actually go through the visit, you can reward them with something that they really want. This should be done as a form of encouragement for their willingness. If you pull this feat off, you can slowly integrate the value of oral care into your child’s behavior. You just need to know what kind of reward your child would prefer. It can be as simple as a toy or a trip to the local arcade. Whatever your child’s preference is, maximize it for their benefit. Keep in mind that this method should not be used as a bribe for your kids.
Have the talk
Spend some time preparing your child before the visit to the dentist.
If the child has never been to the dentist before then treat the visit as a visit to shoe shop. DO NOT say things like, don’t be scared or it won’t hurt. Rather tell them how much fun and how exciting it will be.
If the child has been to the dentist, as is scared, start by showing them photos of the practice you have chosen to take them to and perhaps even ask him or her to choose their dentist. Tell them the first appointment is just going to be a checkup (and nothing will be done) and inform the dentist beforehand of this so that there are no surprises for the child. The dentist will do their own evaluation and decide what should and can’t be done.
There are various apps and games available on android and apple that can be used to motivate the kids. Make sure the motivation is positive and not fear based.
Choose a child-friendly dentist
Children often find a dentist’s place to be scary and complicated. To overcome this challenge, why not find a child-friendly dentist or kids dentist? This particular dentist’s office should be easy in the eyes of a child and has several fixtures that will cater to them. More importantly, this dentist should have enough experience in dealing with children. This experience will help them assure kids that they won’t get hurt and their teeth will be properly taken care of. When you do find this kind of dentist, your child can become a regular patient to prevent any dental complications in the future.
Here at Wiggly teeth, our rooms cater especially for children. The playroom feel of the practice will make all children and parents feel at ease. This is the first of many things we focus on in creating a stress and anxiety-free environment.
