Taking your child to the dentist should be an important part of their health. It should join the ranks of eating healthy foods and visiting the doctor as scheduled. Sometimes, your child might be afraid of going to the dentist because of the bright light in the face or the tools that are used. There are a few ways that you can help alleviate the stress that your child has so that the visit is pleasant.
Start taking your child to the dentist at about six months of age. Your child will begin to get used to the people who work in the office and become comfortable with the equipment that is used. When the child is older and starts going to a dentist Quincy MA office, then it can sometimes be frightening because of the noises, smells and sounds. You can help to relieve these fears when your child is older by taking a tour of the office before the appointment. Let your child talk to the people who work in the office and touch the equipment if it’s alright with the staff. See if your child can sit in one of the chairs to get an idea of how it feels.
Avoid using negative terms when going to the dentist. Show your child that it’s important to brush the teeth so that they can be healthy and that the dentist is someone who wants to help keep the teeth strong. Don’t use words that would inflict any kind of fear, such as pain or needle. Even if your child needs a filling or another procedure that might involve a needle of some kind, try to find a way to gently describe the procedure. Most offices have some kind of medication that can be given before the procedure begins to help your child relax.
Pretend to be a dentist at home. Brush your child’s teeth like the dentist would, and floss the teeth as well. Show your child how close the dentist will be to the face. Count your child’s teeth in the same way that the dentist will. You could also let your child pretend with stuffed animals or dolls.
No. of times viewed = 2