Going to the dentist for a child may be a bit unsettling, as it is a new environment with lots of equipment. However, if you prepare them with the following tips, it can turn into a fun experience rather than anything scary! The main thing to remember is if they’ve never been before, you should just make everything seem normal and positive overall, with a focus on how it’s really good for you to go to the dentist and how nice everyone there will be. Our other tip is to start taking your child as early as possible, so it just becomes a completely normal part of their routine for them. So, let’s get into it and help you to prepare your child for their first dentist appointment!
Go For A Visit Before The Appointment
Our first tip is to go to a visit to the dentist before the main appointment. It’s likely you’ll be taking your child to the same dentist that you go to, so maybe arrange to go for a quick walk around or take your child to an appointment with you (obviously to just a check up and not a more serious appointment). This will help them to get used to the environment without actually being involved in the process, so that when they do come in and the dentist is checking their mouth, they will feel more comfortable. You could get them to have a quick chat with the dentist about their upcoming appointment and how exciting it is, and they’ll probably give them a sticker or something which will be even more exciting for them. Overall, this will help them to get more used to the unfamiliar environment.
Think About Your Appointment Time
Another good tip when you are booking an appointment for your child is to think about your appointment time when you book. If you know your child can be a bit grouchy at a certain time, or they usually have a nap at a certain time, then of course try to avoid an appointment at this time, as it might mean that they associate the experience with negative emotions. So, plan the appointment at a time that you know they are likely to feel happy and relaxed so everything to do with the appointment is positive.
Talk To Them About Why We Go To The Dentist
Another thing that you should do before a visit to the dentist is to talk to your child about why it is important that they go to the dentist. Talk about how the dentist can find any problems with your teeth, how they can fix things if your teeth are hurting and they help to make sure that your teeth stay nice and strong. Also, if you haven’t managed to go to have a look around before, tell them a bit about what they could expect, like a waiting room with a few toys (if they have them of course), then you will go through to a different room with a big comfy chair and footrest and a few bright lights, then you will have a chat with the dentist before they have a little look at your teeth. There are so many different books based on children visiting the dentist, brushing teeth and oral health in general, so this would also be good to help get them prepared if they are feeling a little nervous. This will also be a good bonding moment for the family!
This is a good chance to play dentist and patient, so you can pretend to be the dentist and show them how the dentist will look around their mouth and then let them repeat it on you. This will just get them used to the new experience that might seem unfamiliar at first. Do this a few times before the appointment and they won’t be concerned about the experience.
Be Honest About The Experience
If you know that your child is going to need some kind of work, for example going to a cosmetic dental clinic for braces, you should be honest about the experience. If you tell them everything will be absolutely fine and they won’t experience any pain, it will come as much more of a shock to them and they will probably have trust issues about the experience in the future. So, it’s much better to be honest and explain that it might be a bit sore but the dentist will make sure you’re always comfortable. Plus, say that you can go to do something nice afterwards and it won’t last for long.