If your child has dental anxiety, they are likely very stressed or nervous in anticipation of their next dental appointment, but it doesn’t have to be like this. There are many things you can do to help your child have a positive relationship with their Middleton pediatric dentist and their oral health.
We take a number of steps at our office to create a comforting environment and there are additional tools that can be used to facilitate a positive dental experience. Read on in this blog from Campfire Pediatric Dentistry to find out more about how you can ease your child’s dental anxiety.
Tips for Preparing Children for Their Dental Visits
It’s important for you to help shape your child’s expectations of the dentist to be positive. This means avoiding speaking negatively or fearfully about the dentist, even if it’s in reference to your appointments.
Children can pick up on the emotions of others, especially their parents, who act as their role models. To help them feel good about going to the dentist, you can talk about how fun it is to go in and count all of your teeth and scrub them clean so they’ll be shiny and white.
Remind them that they will leave with a prize such as a new toothbrush. You can even use positive reinforcement to reward a successful trip to the dentist with something they’ve been looking forward to.
It can also help to read stories to your child about the dentist or watch TV programs that explain how the process is fun and important. Never use intimidating words that can scare your child, such as “needle,” “drill,” or “pain.”
Distractions
At Campfire Pediatric Dentistry, we offer noise-canceling headphones, TVs in all of the treatment rooms, and even offer videogames and a child’s playroom. Whether your child is nervous before or during their appointment, we make many accommodations to help them feel as calm as possible.
They are free to enjoy whatever type of music, show, or movie that they like during their appointment so they don’t have to focus on what’s going on around them. You are also welcome to hold your child or bring in a special toy or stuffed animal that will help them feel like they have a companion to work through their nerves.
Sedation Options
We also offer various sedation options at our office, including nitrous oxide, IV sedation, and general anesthesia. Middleton dental sedation helps to relieve dental anxiety, which is a condition that affects many people of all ages, but particularly children.
If your child regularly feels distressed or anxious before visiting the dentist, we can help them feel at ease by administering a sedative that induces feelings of relaxation and melts away stress.
Sedation is tailored to your child’s unique needs, and can be administered through inhalation or an IV. Your child may not remember the appointment afterwards which can be a positive for children with previous traumatic dental experiences.
Visiting a Pediatric Dentist Who Is Good With Kids!
It’s beneficial to take your child to a pediatric dentist if they deal with dental anxiety because we have undergone additional years of training and education to specialize in the dental needs of children as well as child development and child psychology.
Pediatric dental offices are designed to be child-friendly and comfortable spaces that will make your child feel at home and comfortable communicating with our team. We are trained in how to communicate expertly with children to keep them informed without scaring them. Contact us at Campfire Pediatric Dentistry today to schedule an appointment with Dr. Nathan Benassi.
