How Support Prepare Child for First Dentist Visit?
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First dentist visit experience has decisive importance forming child's further attitude towards oral health dentistry overall. How prepare child for first dentist visit so this experience positive calm for both child parents – shares tips Health and Beauty Center Adoria.
Child's First Dentist Visit – Main Preparation Aspects
- Positive communication importance: correctly chosen words calm parents' attitude basis for forming positive view of dentist.
- Practical preparation steps at home: games role-playing positive stories help familiarize with upcoming process in safe comfortable environment for child.
- Visit course cooperation with specialist: child's understanding of what will happen during visit significantly reduces uncertainty fears.
Creating Positive Mood Before Visit
Way parents talk about upcoming dentist visit significantly affects child's emotional state expectations. Very important avoid negative words phrases potentially causing fears anxiety. Such words as “pain” “fears” “needles” “drill” phrases “don't be afraid won't hurt” already containing negative meaning should be excluded from conversations about dentist.
Very important remember dentist visit in no case should be used as intimidation discipline method in child upbringing. Phrases e.g., “if don't listen will take to dentist” “if don't eat healthy/don't brush teeth they will decay have to go to dentist fix” create direct very strong negative association between dentist punishment trouble pain.
Such approach not only does not promote child's desire care for own teeth but can create deeply rooted long-lasting fears of dentistry – dentophobia. These fears often unconsciously persist also in teenage years even adulthood significantly complicating regular dentist visits timely oral health problem solving in future. Therefore preparing child for first dentist visit conscious avoidance of any scaring tactics as important as using positive language.
Instead recommended use positive neutral language. Can tell dentist friend helping teeth be strong healthy counts them checks how clean healthy teaches how properly care for them. Can use such designations as “tooth doctor” “smile fairy” or simply talk about dentist as specialist helping maintain beautiful healthy smile.
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Positive Methods for Child Preparation
Very effective method role-playing. Parents can playfully role-play dentist visit where child patient even dentist himself examining doll parent's teeth. More child familiarizes with process through play less remains unknown scary. Can also use children's books cartoons about dentist visit telling about this experience in positive child-understandable way.
However need observe trying prepare child important not overdo with detailed process description. Though intention can be good too detailed upcoming manipulations instruments description can confuse even unnecessarily worry child. Child's imagination can create exaggerated scenes for each detail later not matching reality create specific fears of certain actions.
Instead recommended stick to general positive descriptions e.g., “dentist will look how strong teeth are” “will count them”. Main create view of visit purpose – care for health – not specific actions instruments. Moreover parents not always precisely know how specific visit will proceed detailed but inaccurate description can cause disappointment distrust. Best let dentistry specialist himself during visit according to situation child's reaction explain necessary using proven child-friendly methods language.
- Learn other useful tips how reduce child's fears of dentist visits read article: "10 Tips Make Dentist Visit Less Scary for Child.".
Parents' Emotional State Importance
Invaluable importance parents' own emotional state. Children very well perceive parents' body language emotions. If parent feels anxiety fears related to dentist important consciously control these feelings not show them to child.
With child recommended speak in calm businesslike optimistic tone. If oneself difficult overcome anxiety possibly better if child accompanied to visit by other parent close relative feeling calmer. Parents' calm confident attitude one of strongest signals to child everything will be fine. Conscious emotional practical preparation essential step for child's first dentist visit proceed successfully become positive basis for regular dental care in future.
- From what age child should start regularly visit dentist how often what cases recommended do it read article: "When Why Child Should Start Regular Dentist Visits?".
First Visit: What Expect How Act?
Understanding what usually happens during first dentist visit can significantly reduce anxiety both for child parents. This visit main task often acquaintance adaptation – allow child get used to new environment people unusual sounds objects.
Modern child-friendly dentistry often takes care of pleasant atmosphere already from waiting area. Also staff – administrators assistants – usually specially trained for kind encouraging communication with young patients.
Entering office specialist – dentist dental hygienist – usually dedicates time establish contact with child before any actions. Can manifest as simple conversation on topics interesting to child showing some interesting office item instrument explaining its function in child-understandable language. Sometimes child offered even hold in hands some harmless instrument e.g., mirror reduce fears of unknown.
The examination itself usually very quick simple maximally gentle. Child can be offered sit in special dentistry chair itself can be interesting adventure as it moves up down. If child feels insecure almost always possible perform examination child sitting on parent's lap. Specialist asks open mouth quickly examines teeth gums tongue palate process commenting positively encouragingly. Except acute situations first visit usually no complex potentially unpleasant procedures performed.
Parents' role during visit be present supportive but at same time allow specialist lead process build contact with child. Important listen to dentist hygienist instructions – where sit stand how help or exactly opposite – allow child cooperate himself. Most important maintain calm positive attitude also in office as child will very much feel parents' mood. After visit regardless of its course important praise child for courage effort.
Modern pediatric dentistry uses various psychological approaches communication techniques make visit as comfortable as possible for child. One of them “tell-show-do” (tell-show-do) method where child first told what will be done then shown instruments action e.g., on finger only then performed in mouth. Significantly reduces anxiety caused by uncertainty.
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Additional Tips for Calmer Experience
In addition to above-mentioned preparation steps still several practical recommendations helping ensure more successful child's first dentist visit.
- One of them visit time choice. Best plan visit when child usually alert fed good mood. Often morning time or after nap. Tired hungry child will be much more irritable less ready cooperate.
- In some clinics allowed bring to visit child's favorite toy blanket. Familiar item can provide additional sense of security comfort in unfamiliar environment. However about this possibility better ask dentistry staff in advance.
- Important also positive praise after visit. Does not mean big gifts sweets. Sufficient with sincere praise for courage cooperation perhaps small healthy treat some other pleasant activity after visit e.g., going to playground. Goal reinforce positive associations with dentist visit but not create impression child rewarded for some significant action. Can create feeling dentist visit something particularly exciting.
Very Often Exactly dental hygienist First Specialist Child Encounters in Dentistry Clinic
Dental hygienists trained not only perform professional oral cavity hygiene but also excellent communicators prevention specialists. Their work particularly suitable for first visit as mostly painless focused on education encouragement.
Hygienist can playfully teach proper tooth brushing technique tell about healthy diet show how work plaque-staining tablets. Such encouraging specialist approach helps form positive view of dental care overall.
Adoria Pediatric Dentistry – For Healthy Smile
Photo: adoria.lv
Health and Beauty Center Adoria offers professional empathetic specially children-adapted approach ensuring comfortable friendly environment already from very first dentist visit. General dentistry dental hygiene tooth fluoridation other services for entire family in Riga A. Čaka street 70-3.