Dental appointments at the best of times can be a daunting experience. Even as adults, we can have a completely rational fear of dentists. They’re not the calmest and most ambient of places, which is why it can be a worry booking in dental appointments for children.
Whether it’s the first time or they’ve been plenty of times before, it’s important to ensure they’re perfectly prepared for their appointments and to cause as little stress as possible. Here are some tips for preparing your kids for a dental appointment.
Choose the right dentists
Choosing a dentist is an important step in the process because not every dentist is going to be the type of approachable, customer-facing dentist you’d expect. Despite this being a customer-facing role, unfortunately, not all dentists provide the warm and friendly approach that others do.
It’s therefore important that you’re picking the right dentist for your needs and that the children themselves, get a good vibe from the dentist they’re going to have inspecting their mouths! After all, it’s an invasive treatment that not everyone may feel comfortable with the same person.
Pick an appropriate time for the appointment
It’s worthwhile to consider what the best and most appropriate time would be for the appointment in question. Ideally, after school might be the best time because that way, they’re not having to deal with any of the potential fixes that might be needed that result in a bit of post-dental pain.
Find the best time that’s going to be handy for the children but is also going to be feasible enough to work around daily life for you.
Organize something fun to do afterwards
In order to provide a bit of relief after what can be a stressful dental appointment for some children, organize something fun to do. This could be an ice cream in the park or a trip to the cinema.
That fun activity is going to provide a bit of relief and a reminder for future appointments, that there’s always something good that comes from visiting the dentist.
Distract them while waiting
The waiting period at your local dentist might be short or depending on the busy times of the day, you could be waiting for a little while. That’s why it’s important to try and distract the kids so that they’re not thinking about the dental chair before they get there.
Try to keep them distracted with entertainment and play games with the little ones if you’re struggling to keep their attention away from dentists.
Be in the room with them for support
For those that might be a little nervous visiting the dentist, it’s good to be present. Even if you’re not a fan of the dentist themselves, it’s good to be the best role model you can be for them.
If they need their hand-holding, make sure you’re there. That way, you can remove as much of the stress away as possible.
Dental appointments are stressful but they can be made a walk in the park if prepared for them.