4 Tips to Ease Your Children into Their Dentist Visit

For some children, the dentist can instil fear and dread into their lives. It can be difficult to get them happy with the process, but there are a range of tips that can ease them into their regular dental visits, and replace negative connotations with positive vibes.

Start Young

One of the best ways to ensure an easy transition into dental visits is by starting off young. Between the first teeth coming through and their first birthday, they should have their first dentist visit. By doing so, you can instil the idea in them while they are younger, and familiarise them with the process and environment. This will ease them into regular dental visits, and allow them to be more comfortable and accustomed with their dentist from an early age.

Play Dentist Themed Games

One way to make the process fun and exciting can be to role play the situation at home! Start a dentist themed game with your children and their toys. Allow them to pretend being the dentist, and then allow them to be the patient. All you need is a toothbrush, a mirror, some teddies and a chair. Try to best stick to the process that they may go through when they do have their dental visit, and they will ultimately be more comfortable when they get there.

Positive Affirmation

There are certain words that shouldn’t be used in association with the dentist if you want dental visits to run smoothly. Avoid using negative words associated with pain or being hurt. Even if you have a fear of dental visits or find the process displeasing, try not to pass it down to your child. Instead, aim to get children excited for the dentist. Ask them to practice their smile, and use words like ‘clean’ and ‘healthy’. More than that, try to not use bribery as a form of reward. Not only will it send the wrong message, but these bribes usually come in the form of sweet treats, which counters the process.

Further read on on paediatric dental care, click here.

Show Them the Importance

Ensure that you teach your children why they need to go to the dentist, and the importance of oral hygiene. Make sure that they know the basics such as brushing twice daily, flossing, using mouth wash etc. Make sure that they know that just like there is a doctor for our bodies, we have doctors for our teeth. At Dental on Clarendon, we have child friendly dental services which will ease your children into regular dental checks. We can help you to educate your children in the importance of the dentist, and dental hygiene.