How Parents Can Ease Children's Dental Anxiety

Ideally, children will get their first dental check-up when they are too young to remember it and continue to have regular appointments throughout their lives. But that doesn’t mean they won’t develop anxiety about seeing the dentist. At Kidz Connextion, our staff is trained to soothe children, but there are things parents can do to manage their kids’ expectations before the visit.

It’s helpful for parents to say that the dentist and hygienists are friends who will clean the child’s teeth and make sure they’re healthy. Parents should avoid implying the visit will be painful by telling the child to be brave or that they’ll get a reward for not being scared. We work to accommodate children, including those with special needs, by explaining to them the procedure and the tools we use in terms they can understand. However, it is not necessary to talk about procedures which the child may not actually need, such as fillings.

Often, when children are scared of the dentist, it is because they are picking up on anxiety from their parents. If one parent has more of an issue with dentists, it is better for the other to take the child in for the visit. The best thing to do is focus on the positives of getting a professional cleaning: a shiny smile and a strong bite.

Kidz Connextion Dental Care maintains offices around Phoenix. To find out more, visit our website at KidzConnextion.com.