Most children don’t like visiting the dentist. We all know that dental visits aren’t popular with anyone, but children are more prone to fear and anxiety around dental procedures. As experienced child dentists in Lancaster, we have plenty of experience working with parents and their anxious children. Based on that experience, we want to offer some tips for parents.
As experienced pediatric dentists in California, we want to help Antelope Valley parents get their children used to visiting the dentist regularly. As a parent, you can make these regular dental visits easier and smoother by doing some prep work, so your child feels okay about seeing the dentist. Try a few of these tips:
1. Praise your child for good behavior – Praise before and during the visit will help too.
2. Explain what’s going to happen, but keep it positive – See tip #3.
3. Explain that visiting a dentist helps them feel good – Keep it general for young children because they won’t understand abstract details.
4. Get them started early – Don’t wait until your child seems nervous.
5. Visit the office before your appointment – If you can schedule a short tour by one of the dental hygienists or front-desk staff, this will make the office more familiar and a little less scary.
6. Offer a reward – Offer to give them a healthy treat after the visit, but don’t use bribery to make them behave.
7. Try to make it fun – Humor and a game can take the edge off dental visits.
The most important thing you can probably do is to start early. Start bringing your child to a dentist early and start preparing them for dental visits early, not the morning of.
The Value of Starting Early
Visiting the dentist with your child achieves two things: It builds a foundation for healthy habits in adulthood and it helps prevent fear of the dentist, which can lead young adults to avoid the preventive dental care they need. Children learn how to behave by watching their parents, so modeling good oral care is important. Let your child see you brush, rinse, and/or floss. If your child adopts those habits now, the payoff will be fewer teeth and gum problems later on.
Experienced and Caring Pediatric Dentists in California
We want to make visiting the dentist a breeze for you and your child. If you have been looking at pediatric dentists in Lancaster or Palmdale, we hope you will decide to visit Smile Dental. We have offices in Palmdale, West Lancaster, and Lancaster. You are welcome to call us and schedule an appointment or use our handy online form.