How to Calm Down Your Kids Before the Dentist

It is completely normal for children to feel fear before going to the dentist. They tend to be afraid of the unknown and may also associate the noise generated by dental instruments with pain.

For this reason, on many occasions, children react negatively and reject the idea of sitting in the dentist's chair, assuming it will torture them.

But can you calm their fears and get them to agree to your consultation with the pediatric dentist? It is possible to make them attend excitedly and feel safe throughout the process.

Before Entering the Appointment with the Pediatric Dentist

Show your child that you feel empathy for the pediatric dentist, and make them feel that they are a person you trust. You can also let your kid know that you will be there to keep them company during it. You can tell your child that the dentist appointment will be a game where he will have a lot of fun.

Play Dentist with Your Children 

The best advice for your children to not fear the dentist is to play the dentist.

The activity children love the most is playing, and if you can get your children to associate the dentist with a game, they will be excited to visit the pediatric dentist. In addition, the situations that happen in the office will seem familiar to them, and they will feel safe attending their first appointment.

Pretend to be a dentist and attend to your children showing the situations in the offices in a fun way, then switch roles and let yourself be tended to by the children. If you have dental objects, it will be much more visual, and the children will remember them more clearly.

Talk to Them About the Mouth & its Importance

Another tip is to talk to your children about the importance of their teeth and explain why it is important to take care of them. Children love to know and explore. You can take advantage of their curiosity and motivate them to get to know their mouths.

You can get some teaching materials and clearly explain to them what their mouth is like and make them understand the importance of taking care of them and maintaining healthy teeth.

A Special Dentist for Children

Pediatric dentists are specially trained to treat children and make them feel safe. They are specialist dentists for children, and this will guarantee that their first experience is pleasant.

In this way, the child will feel that they have gone to meet a new friend. It is important because you won't have to deal with an unpleasant experience for your child, which could become a headache during every visit to the doctor.

Pediatric dentists love dealing with children, which means your children will feel they are treated with care and naturalness. In this way, the children will not feel threatened but feel comfortable.

Create an Oral Care Routine

A basic tip for parents is to make mouth brushing a habit. Getting kids to brush can be challenging, but if you make it a fun part of the day, kids will associate their mouths with a positive feeling.

In this way, it is likely that when you explain to them that they are going to visit a dentist, this will generate positive feelings, and they will not feel afraid.

Parents can create a fun environment when brushing. You can race your children to the bathroom after eating, make this a family activity and create healthy competition where everyone strives to be the best at brushing, flossing, and keeping their teeth clean.

Avoid Transmitting Fear to Your Children

Parents sometimes make negative comments about dental visits. Avoid talking in front of your children about painful experiences you have had or someone else has had. This way, your children will not assume a negative idea about going to the dentist.

You can explain what can happen if they do not brush their teeth or if they do not attend their appointment with the pediatric dentist so that the child thinks preventively, without mentioning negative situations.

A pediatric clinic creates a welcoming and comfortable space, especially for children, with dentists who know how to make children's dental experience a positive one. Your best bet to ensure less anxious dental visits is to consider taking your child to a pediatric dentist instead!