How To Help Your a Children With The Dentist
No matter how old we are, dental checkups can be thought of as a less-than-pleasant experience. We’ve been absorbing bad dental conations from those around us for a long time, so it’s really no wonder that we end up passing down those worries to our children. So, how can we break the cycle and help our children build a better relationship with our dentist in Hendon?
What Is Dental Anxiety?
Dental anxiety is when a person feels uncomfortable about dentists. This discomfort could cause them to avoid dental appointments, and do all they can to not go. Dental anxiety can occur in children as well as adults, and it’s really important to identify it early so that you’re able to work through the issues with the child to help them build a healthier future.
It’s important to note that there is a difference between anxiety and phobia, and having a clear understanding as to where your child sits on the scale of upset is important because treating a child with anxiety is very different to that of a phobia.
Understanding The Worry
If you’re a parent who doesn’t have anxiety surrounding the dentist in Hendon, then it’s important that you activate your empathy buttons and start investing in how your child feels about the dentist in Hendon.
The worries your child is experiencing could have been triggered by anything: someone at school, a previous comment, another family member, something from movies, etc.
Talking
Being open about your fears regarding the dentist or anything else can be a great tool to start the conversation about why the dentist worries them so much. Making yourself vulnerable is a great leveller, and your child will appreciate your honesty and hopefully repay it with honesty from their side.
Be Aware Of What They’re Consuming
It’s super important you have a clear grasp of what they’re consuming through all media outlets, whether that be a TV, phone, laptop, or gaming device. How old they are will affect how much they absorb what they see, but young children can be affected by very small comments, so it’s key to keep an eye out for such things!
Think About Your Role
Being a parent is tough! We can all agree on that. When it comes to our little people, we only ever want the best for them. Although sometimes, we don’t always realise that it’s the tiny things we do or say that add up to make the biggest impact. If you have had a bad experience with a dentist, then you might well be talking about it in a negative way without even realising you’re doing so. Try and think twice before you make comments about the dentist to your children.
Most Reinforcement
It’s easy to fall into the trap of offering sweets when your child doesn’t want to do something, like going to the dentist, but this is a mistake! You should encourage the mindset that dental checkups are positive and healthy and that having their teeth taken care of is a privilege.