You know that you need to take your kids to the dentist regularly. That helps them to have healthy teeth for the rest of their lives. However, your kids may be afraid of going to the dentist. There are all kinds of reasons why they could be scared of the dentist. One is that seeing a dentist can be very loud because of all the tools being used. Another is that they may pick up that fear from friends or family. There are things that you can do to help your child handle their fears.
Don't Surprise Them
You may feel the urge to just not tell them they have a dentist appointment on the morning of the appointment, but that doesn't give your child time to adjust to the news. This is especially true if you have a child who gets upset when their schedule is disrupted. Give them a couple of days' warning so that they know that the appointment is happening. You don't want to mention it a lot because the more you mention it, the more they may obsess over it. But warning them a couple of days ahead of time and then reminding them the night before is a good idea.
Listen to Them
Sometimes adults tend to gloss over kids' fears and don't stop to listen to what kids are saying. That doesn't mean that you do that, but you will want to talk to your child and really listen to what they are saying about their fear. If your child doesn't like to sit and talk, then try talking while you are playing a game, taking a walk, or are out on a drive. Even a young child can tell you why they are scared, but it may take some time for you to figure out what they are trying to say. Listening to your child may not get rid of their fear, but knowing that you are willing to listen to them and work with them to handle their fears can help your child.
Taking your child to the dentist can be really scary to them. But, it is one of those things that has to happen for their health. That means that you need to come up with ways to help manage their fear and get them to the dentist. Helping them manage or get rid of that fear will mean that as adults, they will still going to the dentist.
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