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How to Help Your Child Not Be Afraid of the Dentist?

Help your child not be afraid of the dentist early on. 

For the majority of people, visiting a dentist is one of the most intense fears.

In childhood, kids are especially terrified of a pediatric dentist, and this fear might even turn into a phobia.

The procedure becomes difficult for not only kids, but also their parents as most moms and dads worry when their child is in stress.

This is why it is important for parents to regularly check their children’s teeth growth, even when it is in the beginning stages.

Besides that, it will be helpful to do ample research on the type of pediatric dentists to consider dropping by before picking one that you feel is suitable for your child.

After all, it is always better to be safe rather than sorry when it comes to your child’s health.

Help your child not be afraid of the dentist early on. 

The Reasons for Fear

There may be various reasons for children to fear dentists.

Sometimes, it is the parents who scare their kids with doctors.

They usually do it without any mischief, for example, to make their children brush their teeth.

But parents’ words create fear, and when a valid reason to visit the doctor emerges, it is impossible to persuade a child to go to a clinic.

It must be remembered that a child’s imagination is much more vivid than an average adult ‘s, and they tend to imagine all sorts of things that we can’t even imagine.

And it is for that reason that hypnosis can be the best solution how to get over the fear of dentists for children.

But parents’ words create the fear, and when a valid reason to visit the doctor emerges, it is impossible to persuade a child to go to a clinic.

Other reasons are the following:

A negative experience in the past.

A kid could have experienced pain caused by a medical practitioner, not even by a dentist, which resulted in a negative emotional response.

Anxiety.

Even if a child is not afraid of doctors, the visit to a dentist may be a new experience, and a kid may be afraid of strangers, weird equipment, or other unfamiliar issues.

How to Overcome Fear?

The best way to make visits to a dentist less stressful is to acquaint a child with the doctor and the environment in the clinic.

During the first visit to the pediatric dentist, there is no need to force a child to sit in a dental chair or open their mouth.

It is essential to build up trust with a child.

It is essential to build up trust with a child.

To do it, a physician should not deceive children by saying that procedures will not be painful but it is not true in fact.

Moreover, all the actions of a dentist must correspond to his words.

Sometimes, if a child is terrified of a doctor, it is better to postpone the next visit.

This way, parents can prepare their kids for an upcoming procedure by telling them about its importance in avoiding pain in the future.

If the case is emergent and cannot be put off, you can calm down your child by suggesting a reward after the visit.

Many children love cartoons, and turning on their favorite one during the procedure is a good way to reduce stress.

No one knows your child better than you.

There are no magic words, but you may know the proper words to instill confidence and help a little patient to overcome any fear!

No one knows your child better than you.

About Julee: Julee Morrison is an experienced author with 35 years of expertise in parenting and recipes. She is the author of four cookbooks: The Instant Pot College Cookbook, The How-To Cookbook for Teens, The Complete Cookbook for Teens, and The Complete College Cookbook. Julee is passionate about baking, crystals, reading, and family. Her writing has appeared in The LA Times (Bon Jovi Obsession Goes Global), Disney's Family Fun Magazine (August 2010, July 2009, September 2008), and My Family Gave Up Television (page 92, Disney Family Fun August 2010). Her great ideas have been featured in Disney's Family Fun (Page 80, September 2008) and the Write for Charity book From the Heart (May 2010). Julee's work has also been published in Weight Watchers Magazine, All You Magazine (Jan. 2011, February 2011, June 2013), Scholastic Parent and Child Magazine (Oct. 2011), Red River Family Magazine (Jan. 2011), BonAppetit.com, and more. Notably, her article "My Toddler Stood on Elvis' Grave and Scaled Over Boulders to Get to a Dinosaur" made AP News, and "The Sly Way I Cured My Child's Lying Habit" was featured on PopSugar. When she's not writing, Julee enjoys spending time with her family and exploring new baking recipes.
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