Making your child’s first dental appointment can be a stressful experience as a parent. Your child will most likely have some anxiety about the appointment that will make them uneasy about going. They may have heard stories about dentist chairs and drills, but they have never actually seen them before. It is your job to make them feel comfortable about the experience. Here are 4 tips for making their first dental cleaning a success.
Request A Tour of The Dentist Office
A big fear of the dentist for a child is that they don’t know what to expect. Ask your dentist if you can schedule a tour of the office before your child’s first appointment. It will help ease their anxiety …show more content…
The dentist will no longer be a stranger to your child when they come back, which should make them feel at ease when they come back for their teeth cleaning. It takes the fear of the unknown out of the equation since they can put a face to person that will be inspecting their …show more content…
Your child may be envisioning loud drills and large needles, which can create some unnecessary fear in their mind. They may find some of the equipment intriguing such as how the chair can move into so many different positions.
Build Up The Event With Friends And Family
If other people treat their first teeth cleaning as something that is exciting your child will have a positive impression of it. Tell your friends and family about it so they can give your child a boost of encouragement. It will make their appointment feel more like a right of passage rather than something to fear. Positive reinforcement can go a long way with a small child.
Use Role Play
You can act out the roles of dentist and patient with your child to let them know what it will be like. Start by being the dentist and walk your child through the procedure. Then switch roles and give your child a chance to be the dentist. It will show that you do not mind being the patient and there is nothing to