We all need to visit the dentist at least twice a year to have healthy teeth and healthy gums. Generally, children can be easily molded when it comes to going to the dentist because they see what their parents do and they will copy. Additionally, as you will find at a Dentist in Phoenix, AZ, you want an office with a happy, knowledgeable staff that’s passionate about their work.
If your children see you feeling at ease and happy about going to see your dentist regularly, they will model after mom and dad and do the same thing. The thing is, trying to convince your children to allow a stranger to put their hands in the mouth is never easy. The dentist is not a fun experience even for grownups, so while it’s nice to be able to teach your children that they should go to the dentist, you have to be OK with it first. If you want to make visiting the dentist easy and fun for children, read on to learn how you can do it.
- Don’t wait. It may feel like an easy thing to do, to wait until your children are old enough to understand what the dentist is and what they’re going to do, but it’s actually not going to help. If you want your children to get routine checkups and be OK walking in and sitting in that chair, it has to start as early as possible so that it feels like a normal part of their lives. Going to the dentist office early teaches your children how they can brush their teeth, how to look after their teeth, and what they should do if their teeth are aching. Even toddlers can get used to going to the dentist.
- Make it fun. Getting a PlayDoh dentist factory is one of the best ways to help your children feel like the dentist is going to be a fun experience. You should never wait for your child to complain of pain before you go for an appointment, so you need to get them feeling excited about visiting. Teach your little ones some fun and exciting facts about their teeth, and you could play dentist at home, although please don’t use any tools or drills.
- Lean on positive reinforcement. You don’t have to bribe or butter up the children, but keep a very positive attitude. Of course, it can be tricky, and while you shouldn’t lie to your children, you can help them to have a positive experience. Let them bring along their favorite stuffed animal, portable game, or picture book to help to distract them during the appointment. You could give a reward, but you might be feeding into the idea that the dentist is a negative place to be and that they need to have a present to be able to attend. You should also try to avoid giving lollipops or sugary sweets afterwards, because the idea here is to help them look after their teeth.
- Give your child some control. Letting your children have some control can really help when they feel anxious. It can be terrifying for a child on the whole to sit through a dental process, but hearing sit still and stay still and open wide can be stressful. You can give your child some control in some simple ways, such as letting them lead you to the appointment room, or encouraging them to shake hands with the dentist. you could also get them a pretend dentist kit so that they have hold their own tools while their teeth are being worked on.
- Keep an open conversation about healthy teeth. This is one of the most important things to remember when it comes to dentistry. Teaching your children that going to the dentist is a must and not a choice is important, but that they have some control over the situation will help. Talk about cavities and teeth falling out and blossoming into adult teeth. You should also brush your teeth together, encourage flossing and mouthwash, and talk about the importance of ensuring that they are not partaking in activities that could knock their teeth out. Children should feel like dentistry is not a secret or something to be ashamed of.
It’s never really going to be a fun experience for you as a parent to see your children at the dentist, but you can do everything possible to make sure that they feel comfortable and happy with the situation. Now that you know how to get things going, start that conversation now with your children so that you understand that they feel comfortable with the idea of seeing a dentist and having their teeth looked after.
