Dental anxiety is among the most frequently cited types of stress, and when it rears its ugly head in your child, the experience can be especially fraught. However, children are renowned for their resilience and potential, making it possible to recognize if they may be nervous about their dental appointments.
The sources of your child’s dental anxiety are numerous, but here are some of the most common:
- Association with a similar negative experience
- An unfamiliarity with dental instruments, sounds, and office setting
- One or both parent’s negative relationship with dentistry
- Worry when overhearing parents discuss cost or other dental challenges
- Lack of preparation for their first visit to their Seattle, WA dentist
But at Phinney Ridge Dental, our goal is to not only help you understand your child’s anxiety but to support you with three tips that help relieve your child’s dental fear.
#1 – Always Use Positive Reinforcement with Your Child’s Dental Care
As parents, we’ve all been tempted to suggest potential future problems for our kids when they resist our instructions. However, threatening your child with painful dental consequences if they don’t brush and floss can make the situation worse. Instead, we suggest you stay positive and focus on rewards for good behavior. Make home care fun with brightly colored, character toothbrushes and fun, sparkly but still fluoridated toothpaste.
#2 – Bring a Soothing Item Like a Favorite Toy to Their Dental Appointment
A little piece of home can be incredibly comforting for a child in a stressful situation. Stuffed animals are a favorite in this situation, but if the item is relatively small, most of anything your child chooses will do. We recommend you check with your pediatric dentist to ensure the thing is ok. We find that something your child can focus on takes the edge off their worry and concern.
#3 – Choose the Right Pediatric Dentist in Seattle, WA
We can’t overstate the importance of choosing a compassionate and skilled pediatric dentist for your child. You should seek a flexible, understanding dentist willing to help prepare your youngster for their first exam with a fun visit where they can play in the dental chair, ask questions about the tools and become familiar with the experience.
Call to Learn More about Your Pediatric Dentist Near Me
The team at Phinney Ridge Dental is fully trained with the combination of skills and kindness that can lessen your child’s dental fear. So if you stay positive, bring a soothing item, and work with the best pediatric dentist in Seattle, your family can build a life-long relationship with good oral health.