How to Prep Your Child for a Trip to the Dentist

 

Taking your children for routine visits to the dentist is essential for maintaining and promoting good oral health. Loud noises, unfamiliar people with scary masks prodding and poking weird looking tools into their mouths… From a child’s point of view, visiting the dentist can be quite daunting. Luckily for you, it doesn’t have to be. Here are a few ways you can help prep your child for their next trip to the dentist:

• Read to your child: Take advantage of reading! Reading to your child about dentists or the tooth fairy is a great way to help them look at dentistry in a more fun and positive light. In fact, we recommend reading dental inspired stories right before heading on out the door. If there are no stories you can find about dentistry, use your imagination and make up your own! (Our go-to is letting them know that the dentist is the tooth fairy’s BFF!)

• Explain the importance of strong and healthy teeth: It’s no secret that children easily retain information (Raise your hand if you accidentally slipped and said something you shouldn’t have, only for them to repeat it like a parrot?! Oops!) Emphasize the importance of teeth and the role they play in the grand scheme of things. Highlight the fact that visiting the dentist ensures that their teeth will remain strong enough to chew the foods they love to eat (list their favorite foods).

• Set your child up for success: Similar to our last tip, children pick up on social cues (i.e. if you’re worried about the dentist, they will be too!). Avoid showing your child any kind of anxiety or fear you may have yourself. We also recommend positive reinforcement, like taking them to their favorite restaurant or getting some ice cream after the trip to the dentist, so they begin to associate the dentist with only positive things.

Next time you’re taking your child to the dentist, think of these tips to help ease not only their nerves, but yours too. Take the next step in keeping your child’s teeth in tip-top shape by giving us a call today at St. Charles Office Phone Number (630) 232-6661!