Three Ways to Help Your Kids Fall In Love With Going to the Dentist

If your child struggles with going to the dentist you may be able to turn things around for them. It is imperative that your child sees the pediatric dentist every six months for good oral health. Prevention, early detection, and early intervention will help your child to enjoy good oral health.

Making sure that it is not a battle of the will every time you have an appointment starts with choosing a kids dentist that your child can feel comfortable with. The right pediatric dentist will partner with you and your child to ensure that they get the care that they need to keep their smile healthy. Parents can follow a few simple tips to make going to the dentist for kids easier on the kids.

Start Early

The American Dental Association recommends that children start seeing the dentist at about one year of age. Starting your child on the path to oral wellness early on will accomplish two things. The first is your child will get the preventive care that they need to keep cavities away from an early age. The second is that your child will be accustomed to seeing the children’s dentist and it will be normalized for them.

According to the experts, about 55 million hours of schooling are lost each year to dental problems. Giving your child the right start in life includes partnering with a pediatric dentist that can monitor their oral health.

When you start visiting the pediatric dentist early in your child’s life, they learn early on that the dentist is there to help. The right children’s pediatric dentist will form a relationship with your child that promotes positive feelings about the dentist and oral health care.

Lead by Example

Many times a child will fear going to the dentist simply because they have overheard negative comments about going to the dentist. Keep it positive. Let your child see you going to the dentist. When it is their turn to have a visit with the kid’s dentists, they will feel positive about it if they see the adults in their life feeling positive about it.

Talk About It A lot

Talk about going to the dentist with your child and do it frequently. Mark the appointment on the calendar and do a count down “to the fun”. Making the dentist feel like a fun appointment and communicating with your child about what to expect will reduce their apprehension about the dentist.

Use age-appropriate language, read books about visiting the dentist for kids, watch videos together about other children and their visit to the pediatric dentist, to help ease their minds. Going to the dentist is as important as going to the pediatrician. Normalizing the experience for your child is a great way to help them overcome their anxiety.