Going to the dentist is scary for many children, especially when they’re ready to have their first cavity filled. Parents, often nervous about their own dental visits, may unwittingly be transmitting anxiety and negative messages to their children about dental treatment.
Here are some tips to help you prepare your children for their first real dental procedure:
Answer questions but keep the information to a minimum. If your child wants to know what will happen, give her some honest basic information, such as: where she will sit, what noises and vibrations she will hear and feel, how strange her mouth will feel, and how “sleepy” her mouth will be for a while.
Schedule the visit for when your child is at her best, not when she is likely to be tired.
Emphasize the positive. Explain how fortunate your child is to have a good dentist who can fix his tooth. This is not the time to blame the child for poor brushing or eating habits.
Use non-scary words. For example: The dentist is going to “clean the sugar bugs out of your tooth” and “patch it.” Or he is going to use “sleepy juice for your tooth.” If your child wants to know how your dentist will give his tooth sleepy juice, tell him a “magic wand” will be used and he may feel a little “pinch.” Avoid such language as “needle,” “shot” or “it’s not going to hurt.” You do not want your child to focus on negatives. If you say “it’s not going to hurt,” your child hears “it’s going to hurt.”
After treatment, encourage your child. Tell her “good job,” for example, and don’t make negative references such as asking “does your mouth hurt?”
Discuss with Dr. Dooley ahead of time whether you wish to accompany your child during treatment. If you do, and even if you don’t, you will need to provide moral support and maintain a low, calm voice. You must support the dentist as the authority figure during the procedure.
Share your own dental experiences. Kids should know that cavities are very common and not hard for a dentist to fix.
Give your child some control. If she wants to wear certain clothes or bring a comfort item such as a stuffed animal, let her.
Plan to do something fun afterward. Go to the park or another favorite spot after the appointment. Or take him out for a special food treat once the “sleepy juice” in his mouth wears off.
Most important, ensure your child’s first procedure is a positive experience! Children who receive good dental care, and who aren’t afraid of treatment, are more likely to take proper care of their teeth and gums as they grow. That practice will benefit their health throughout their lives.
