Decoding How to Eliminate Fear of Dentist among Children
Decoding How to Eliminate Fear of Dentist among Children
Oral health is among the primary healthcare requirements for children of all ages. Averting dental care problems through periodic dental check-ups is the only way to ensure that oral health of a child doesn't suffer. However, there is a major roadblock in this seemingly simple taskmost children are afraid of dentists. Strangely, nearly every kid seems to have an inherent, unexplained fear about visiting the dentist. However, this doesn't mean that parents can simply forgo dental treatment. Parents need to find ways to solve this issue and the following tips can be very handy in this regard:
Use the Power of Communication
Communicating with the child can be very helpful in this regard. Parents should talk to the child about the possible problems if a visit to the dentist is avoided. Children are more likely to understand any issue if it is explained by their parents rather than a healthcare practitioner or a nurse who are bound to be perceived as strangers by child. Parents can use the power of visual aids. Showing children health programs on TV/computer and photographs or slides about various dental problems can help the child understand the criticality of visiting the dentist.
Rewarding Your Child Helps
Smaller children are likely to pursue activities if some sort of a reward is promised upon the completion of a task. This can be used for enticing the child towards visiting the dentist. The visit should be explained to the child as an activity' that needs to be completed. The child can be promised a small gift, like his favorite chocolate bar or a toy he had been longing for, upon completing this activity.
Use Sibling Rivalry
Families with more than one child can use the concept of sibling rivalry. They can present visiting the dentist as a competitive activity for the children. Parents can announce that the child with the best feedback from the dentist would be regarded as the stronger' of the lot or get bigger gifts in the near future. However, parents need to do this with care as sibling rivalry can sour the relationship among siblings.
However, none of these tips might actually work. In such scenarios, the child probably suffers from a severe case of dental phobia that is best neutralized with sedation dentistry.