Visiting a dentist with your baby may be challenging in this case because some children are very much afraid of going to the dentist. Dental phobia is quite widespread among children, and this becomes a problem, especially for both child and parent, when going for a dental appointment. But all the same, some measures can be taken to ensure that your child is not stressed each time you are at the dentist. Here is a list of five strategies that can assist in dealing with a child’s fear of dentists:

Choose a Paediatric Dentist

Ideally, while looking for a dental clinic in South Melbourne that is welcoming to children, you should consider going for a paediatric dentist. These are health practitioners with a speciality in handling youthful individuals and are always in a position to deal with their phobias. They hardly employ force when handling the child, and most of them are friendly and playful with an ambience that has toys and games to entertain the child. This leads to the development of fear as your child becomes more exposed since the paediatric dentist will create a comfortable environment for your kid.

Use Positive Language

The labels you give to the dentist are one of the determinants of the perception given to your child concerning the dental visits. Certain words and phrases should be avoided because they might worsen the condition of your child, and the effect is caused by fear of something that he/she has never experienced before and never wanted to. Avoid the use of negative and anxious words. Explain about the dentist specifically in the role of a friend who takes proper care of our teeth. Stress the advantage of visiting a dentist often and assure that there is no problem here. It helps to encourage your child through positive stories and to make soothing remarks that will encourage a child.

Familiarise Them with the Environment

Kids’ anxiety is generally associated with things unknown to them, so when your child gets used to where a dentist works, the little one will likely not get scared working with the dentist. You may also want to arrange an unsupervised tour at the centre, and that can be done without an appointment; they can just accompany you to the waiting room and be introduced to the staff members. If your child is capable of watching a video or a programme or if you can read a storybook to him, do it on how to handle a dental visit. This assists in demystifying the environment and makes your child be familiar with it and, as such, feel less intimidated by the real appointment.

Practice Relaxation Techniques

You should impart some relaxation strategies to your child because they are useful when dealing with anxiety. Some remedies include simple breathing manners such as breathing in through the mouth and out through the nose while counting to five. There are also talking to oneself, drawing or visualising a pleasant scene, or counting to 10 as some of the popular recommendations on how to escape anxiety trains of thought. Other parents feel that the restriction of one sibling from visiting the child can be managed by encouraging them to carry something familiar along with them, such as a toy or a blanket. These techniques enable your child to deal with anxiety in their own way because they are mostly independent techniques.

Provide Rewards and Encouragement

Reinforcement can also be used in a positive form, and it is greatly effective in making a patient change or in reducing the feeling of fear. Reward them for a dental visit completion with a small incentive that they would go to the park, have a special dessert, or get a toy. As is always the case with such attempts at changing a child’s behaviour, the reward must be something that the child truly desires. Also, do not forget also to encourage the patient and offer many compliments during the visit. Build upon the small achievements, such as not making a scene when seated in the chair, and reassure the child on how well they are doing. It makes future visits more positive as it contributes to the building of the patient’s confidence.

Conclusion

There are some foods and drinks that will stain your teeth as there are foods and beverages that discolour a child’s teeth. Coffee, teas, sodas, and various foods such as berries, tomato sauce, or spices with a red colour may stain the teeth. It is recommended that your child have a lot of water after consuming such commodities to prevent further stains from setting in. It is therefore important to take the child to the dentist in South Melbourne for a check-up to manage any discolouration with ease and have a healthy, sparkling smile.

Thus, you can use the mentioned strategies to assist your kid to feel more comfortable taking their visits to the dentist. Bear in mind that this is the first time the students are being introduced to the college, new hardships and challenges, new people, new environments, and so on. As time goes on and your child eats nutritiously, experiences positive outcomes, and [you support her], the fear threat lessens, and so does any consequent demerit in habits and smiles.

Author Bio:

Hi, I’m Eleena Wills. Being a writer and blogger, I strive to provide informative and valuable articles to people. With quality, constructive, and well-researched articles, one can make informed choices. I cover a wide range of topics, from home improvement to hair styling and automotive. You can follow me on Facebook , Twitter & LinkedIn