Tear-Free Trips to the Dentist
Preventing fears
There are lots of old wives’ tales about the dentist. The first is that all kids are afraid of going. But a recent survey of five-year olds found that 80% have no worries about going to the dentist.
In fact, a lot of kids only get stressed about it because they’re picking up on their parents’ anxieties.
The one sure way to prevent them from getting anxious is to take them regularly for a check-up so it just becomes a routine thing, and they don’t associate trips to the dentist with tooth problems and treatment.
Ideally, you should take them every six months, unless your dentist recommends otherwise.
What to do if your child is afraid of the dentist
When you think about it, being scared of the dentist is perfectly natural reaction for some children. After all, it’s a pretty strange place full of unfamiliar sights, sounds and people.
But regular dentist visits are key to keeping your child’s teeth healthy. And often, all it takes to make them more comfortable is to spend a little time finding out exactly what they’re afraid of, then have a chat about it to give them a bit of reassurance.
Often, kids are generally just a bit nervous about all the odd looking tools the dentist puts in their mouth. If this is the case, What’s it for? will help explain what each tool does, and why it’s not so scary after all.
Then, to make them feel good about their time at the dentist, our Dental Certificate is a great reward for brave boys and girls.
Find a dentist near you
Finding the right dentist for your child can be very important – and it’s good to bear in mind that the one you go to might not be the best choice for your little one. So it pays to do a bit of research. Similarly, if you’re not satisfied with the treatment your child is receiving at their dentist, or your child is consistently uncomfortable going there, it’s completely fine to change to a different one.
Find an NHS dentist in your area