Does your child hate visiting the dentist? Many parents have to resort to desperate means every time that routine checkup rolls around on the calendar. If your son or daughter is dreading their next appointment, we can help. Nobody needs to live in constant fear of the dental chair!
Be the Great Parent You Already Are
This might sound obvious as a parent but take a moment to put yourself in your child’s shoes – do you understand why they might fear or dread the dentist? Talk to your kids about what bothers them, often times it’s their imagination working overtime. Give your kids the opportunity to talk things out beforehand – verbalizing anxiety helps diminish it over time.
Fear of the Unknown
Many of us fear the unknown – let alone kids – making unfamiliar dental offices a scary place indeed. Have an appointment at Canyon Trails scheduled for your child? Drop by and visit our offices beforehand for a quick tour.
Giving your child the chance to acquaint themselves with the office and dental instruments can help sooth their nerves. Take the pressure off the real appointment and show your child there’s nothing to fear.
Bribery Works
Try as we might, teaching our kids the value of oral health is seldom enough to pacify their very real anxiety. Although some parents will disagree with bribing your kids into doing anything, many more parents are already at the end of their rope.
Bribery works if you know how to use it. No, you don’t need to take your children on a shopping spree and rack up a small fortune – sometimes cooking a favorite meal or seeing a new movie is enough. Parents can easily use this tactic as an excuse for a little bonding time.
Call our Goodyear Dental Office to make an appointment with a dentist who may be able to help you find out more about this topic, and improve your oral health.