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Compared with the level of dental care available today – with revolutionary products, innovative procedures and state-of-the-art equipment – the care that parents received years ago as youngsters was seemingly from the Stone Age. Some parents may have had difficulty relinquishing the fears they concocted as a result of those experiences. They must, however, find a way to let go of those fears because research indicates parents can pass them on to their children.
A study published in the American Journal of Psychology found that anxiety is not genetic; the direct association between a parent and a child causes it. Therefore, parents who display anxiety related to visiting the dentist affect how their children react to receiving dental care. To keep children from feeling anxious, parents need to leave their fears in the past. The tips below are designed to help you ease your child’s fear of the dentist.
Five Tips to Minimize Your Child’s Fear of the Dentist
Begin practicing good oral hygiene early.
Parents can find kits specifically designed to help keep an infant’s gums healthy. Many contain everything a parent needs to care for the toddler’s newly erupted teeth. If you start practicing oral hygiene even before your child has teeth, by the time that first tooth erupts, your child already will be used to caring for his or her mouth.
Choose a pediatric dentist.
Many family dentists are excellent and skilled with caring for children. They know what to expect. Moreover, there are issues specific to children to learn how to identify and treat these conditions.
Schedule a meet-and-greet.
The American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry (AAPD) states that parents should schedule their child’s first dental visit when teeth begin to erupt. It also states that even if your child does not have any teeth by the age of 12 months, you should schedule a dental appointment. The goal of this initial appointment is to familiarize your child with his or her pediatric dentist.
Familiarizing your child with a pediatric dentist early offers three benefits:
Your child becomes accustomed to visiting the dentist, which makes for less stressful future dental visits.
You can keep a close eye on your child’s oral health, which gives you and your child’s dentist the ability to address dental issues before they become problematic.
By addressing dental issues before they become problematic, you can avoid costly and potentially painful procedures.
Scheduling the appointment
Even if you begin taking your child to the dentist as recommended by the AAPD, he or she still may experience some anxiety about dental visits. You should take several things into consideration when scheduling your child’s appointment:
Whenever possible, request a morning appointment. This ensures that your child does not spend the entire day thinking about the upcoming visit.
Do not talk about the appointment. Just schedule it and forget it. That said, if your child wants to talk about the appointment, remain positive and talk about the importance of maintaining a clean, healthy smile. Avoid mentioning anything that might scare your child (shot, drill, scrape, etc.).
When scheduling a cleaning, request your child’s favorite dental hygienist. When the same hygienist cares for your child on a regular basis, he or she may begin to trust that hygienist and feel less anxious.
Take advantage of kid-friendly resources that highlight visiting the dentist.
There are resources available that are designed to teach children how to practice good oral hygiene and ease a child’s fear of the dentist. These include books and videos dedicated to helping children understand the importance of dental cleanings and proper oral health.
The American Dental Association created Dudley the Dinosaur to help children learn how to practice good oral hygiene and feel less anxious about dental visits. Some children’s television shows feature visits to the dentist. A few examples:
Peppa Pig (“Dentist”)
The Berenstain Bears Visit the Dentist
Sid the Science Kid (“A Brush with Teeth”)
Barney & Friends: My Friends, The Doctor and the Dentist
Practicing healthy oral habits includes brushing your teeth twice daily and flossing at least once daily. Visiting the dentist regularly for semiannual cleanings and checkups is the best way to prevent gum disease, which could lead to tooth loss.
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Dr. Sheila Harris is the owner of Natomas Crossing Dental Care in Sacramento, California. Dr. Harris has been a licensed dentist since 2000, after receiving her degree from Northwestern University School of Dentistry. She remains a member of several dental organizations and has been selected as one of the top general dentists in the Sacramento area for the past five years.
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