If full-grown adults can still feel nervous about dental visits – despite having gone to the dentist countless times throughout their lives, imagine how your child feels about visiting your San Diego dentist for the first time?
We have yet to find a child (or an adult, for that matter) who is ever eager to visit the dentist.
The thought of having to sit still in a strange doctor’s chair, face all the scary contraptions the chair comes with, and hear all the nasty and scary stories of pain about dental visits, can unnerve anybody at any age.
But as with anything, preparation is key.
Before you set your kids’ nerves on fire over their first dental visits, read on to know how to better prepare yourself and your kids for this major milestone.
Preparation Tips for Your First San Diego Irresistible Smiles Appointment:
Be calm.
Our kids pick up the energy we give off. Any sense of nervousness on your end sends the wrong message to your kids.
It will make them think something wrong or painful is going to happen at the dentist’s office, and that will scare them even more.
Try your best to hide any negative feelings and turn the experience into a positive event – something that you and your child can both be excited about.
Avoid Using ‘Trigger’ Words.
How you describe the procedure to your child will impact his/her overall feelings about visiting your San Diego family dentist.
The goal here is to make the dental visit a positive experience for your child, and negative words such as ‘shots’, ‘blood’, ‘hurt’ or ‘pain’ are not the way to go.
Go for encouraging words such as ‘exciting’ and ‘healthy’ and ‘clean’.
Keep the Details Short and Sweet.
The more details you share with your child, the more confused they will get, and confusion is almost always the root cause of unnecessary fear.
Instead of going into the nitty-gritty of the instruments, medicines, and procedures, keep it simple.
A good place to start is telling your kid that the dentist ‘will clean your teeth to keep the bad stuff from hurting your teeth’.
Be a Good Role Model.
Do not just tell your kids how to relax at the dentist’s office – show them!
If and when you can, schedule a cleaning or some other painless procedure for yourself, where your kids can watch.
The big takeaway: your kids will see for themselves that there really is nothing to worry about, sitting in the dentist’s chair. Be the proof!
Most Importantly, Pick the Right San Diego Family Dentist.
Your choice of dentist will matter not just in getting the procedure done effectively and safely.
Your child’s comfort and the dentist’s ability to keep your child at ease during the whole procedure are at stake.
To make sure that you are making the right choice in a San Diego family dentist, go to the most trusted dentist in the San Diego and Chula Vista areas: Irresistible Smiles!
Schedule a free consultation for you or your kids today. Contact us at 858-755-8993 (San Diego) or 619-656-6785 (Chula Vista).