If many adults experience fear of the dentist, what can we say about children, for whom the doctor – a merciless man in a white coat hurting. For parents, going to the dentist's office with their child turns into a real test, which can be passed only by spending a lot of effort. In the best case, after much persuasion and promises to buy a beautiful doll or car, the parent will be lucky to drag their child into the dental chair, but at the cost of this will be a long childish tantrum and a huge amount of lost nerve cells. But is it possible to make sure that going to the doctor does not turn out to be a stressful situation? In the article we will talk about how to teach a child not to be afraid of the dentist.
Why is the child afraid of dental treatment?
Children often repeat the behavior of their parents. That is, if your baby noticed that you are afraid of going to the doctor, he will also be afraid of going to the clinic and people in white coats. Some children are absolutely calm about treatment, this process does not cause them the slightest negative emotions, while for others, going to the doctor– something like torture that their parents force them to go to.
The second reason why a child is afraid to treat his teeth – suspense. For a toddler who has never been to a dentist before, the environment in which he finds himself in the doctor's office frightens him, seems dangerous to him, and in such a situation, no arguments will work. Usually such children's fears – a temporary phenomenon that passes in the course of growing up. If over time the child continues to experience the trip to the dentist's office – this is a sign that he has a weakened nervous system and may need to see a specialist.
Special pediatric dentistry
To help your child cope with their fear of the dentist, consider using specialized pediatric dentistry. In such medical institutions, everything is arranged so that the child feels absolutely comfortable in the clinic and is not afraid of anything – a pleasant interior that children like, and their favorite cartoons, can divert attention from the treatment process, so the little patient will not experience psychological shock when he finds himself in a pleasant environment.
How can I help my child overcome his fear of the dentist?
A child's first visit to the dentist should be scheduled as soon as most of the baby teeth have erupted. It will be great if your son or daughter's teeth will be treated by a doctor who is your family dentist. Thus, the baby will have the opportunity to meet with him before the appointment, get to know each other, talk or watch a cartoon. After the child is separated from the doctor, he may ask him to open his mouth and show his teeth, so that he can outline a treatment plan. Only two days after the child has met the doctor, you can make an appointment.
Ideally, the dentist should start treating lighter teeth first – so that the child will have the opportunity to get used to everything unfamiliar. It is very important to take into account the individuality of a small patient, because it is difficult for children to sit in one place for a long time, so it is better not to treat several teeth at one time.
The child is not only afraid of being manipulated, they are also afraid of the person in the white coat who will carry them out. The main task of the doctor – inspire confidence in the baby so that he relaxes and does not worry. A dentist with sufficient experience treating children knows that some kids can be told the whole truth about how he will treat their teeth, how the devices in the dentist's office work. But this approach can not be used with every child, because such stories will simply scare many, in such cases the doctor needs to turn on the fantasy and start improvising.
After receiving
After a child has successfully treated his teeth at the dentist, he certainly needs to be told how brave he is and how proud you are of him. Arriving home, the baby will tell his relatives about his first visit to the dentist, what the doctor did to him, and that he was not at all afraid. A child needs to visit the dentist, not only when there are problems with the teeth, but also in a planned manner. So, the baby will feel comfortable with a familiar doctor in an environment that is familiar to him and does not scare him at all.
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