The first time I ever took my child to the dentist, I did all the research; I found a dentist who was supposed to be good with children and I hoped for the best. Needless to say, that first time didn’t go over too well and my oldest son screamed his lungs out, which caused his two younger siblings to do the same thing. He was so terrified and there was nothing I could do at that point to calm him down.
The second time came a little while later, and to my surprise, it went over really well.So, what changed? A lot actually, that time I helped my son to be more prepared by doing the things I mention in this post.
While these tips may not help every child, I sure hope they help some of you!
Let your children watch videos or read books about going to the dentist.Thankfully, there’s a video or book about almost every milestone in your child’s life – including going to the dentist. Let your child watch their favorite characters as they explain why going to the dentist is so important and what happens. One of the books I used to read to my children was a Berenstain Bear’s book, but just a quick search on Amazon shows me there are a ton of other books available.
Let your child watch you at the dentist for a cleaning. My children were so worried about going to the dentist, but after letting them watch me get my cleaning, they realized it wasn’t that scary. Kids learn by watching so if they see you handling the dentist like a pro, they may be less prone to be scared whenever you take them.
Ask the dentist if you can go back with your child. Apparently, going back with your child at the dentist is something pretty taboo, nowadays, but it can still be done. Although, many dentists may not allow you to go back with your children, always ask to anyways because you never know. In the past, my kid’s dentist actually preferred me to go back with my children.
Make fun analogs. Kids love to pretend they are doing something that other kids don’t get to do and, some kids even believe it. If your child is going to have dental work done tell them that they are going to be wearing an astronaut mask that will make them feel like they are going to outer space. (Laughing gas) Or, tell them the dentist will be looking for fairies to keep them calm while the dentist is looking in their mouths. Whatever analog you use, make it fun and around whatever kind of stuff your kids are into.
These tips worked with all three of my children, but I would love to hear how you helped break your children from being scared of the dentist in the comments below.
Last Updated on 5 years ago by Crystal Carder