Dentophobia affects millions of people worldwide, and it often goes back to childhood. People who fear the dentist can usually trace it back to bad experiences or bad feelings about dental visits that were allowed to fester for years. To help your child avoid this fate, you’ll want them to associate the dentist with positive emotions. Here are just a couple of ideas for making that happen.
Roleplay a Visit to the Dentist’s Office
Roleplaying has many benefits for children. It models proper behavior for them in a new, scary situation, and it allows you to correct misconceptions or mistakes before they take root. Don’t be afraid to set up a “dentist’s chair” in your kitchen and practice things like children’s dental cleanings in Palos Heights. You can help your child become an old pro at them before they visit the dentist at all.
Get Them Excited About Oral Hygiene
Do they consider it a chore to brush their teeth? If so, it’s time to bring a little excitement to the ritual. Maybe you could create a song and dance for it, or maybe you could incentivize them with some kind of reward. Either way, the more comfortable they are with dental procedures, the less afraid they’ll be of the professionals administering them.
These are just a few ways to soothe dentist-related anxieties in your little one. If you think they’re ready for something like children’s dental cleanings in Palos Heights, reach out to Chicago kiDDS Pediatric Dentistry.