Ease Your Child’s Fear of the Dentist

Taking kids to the dentist is necessary to keep their teeth healthy and promote excellent oral hygiene habits. But from a child's point of view, a trip to the dentist can be a scary event! Help ease your child’s dental fears with these tips to leave them feeling comfortable and more relaxed:

Introduce your child to the practice outside of any procedure: Bringing your child to visit the office and meet the staff prior to any visit, will help them feel more relaxed and less formal. Starting visits early ensures more of a “meet and greet” style, where you can get your child excited about future visits.

Avoid using negative words when referring to the dentist:  Avoid saying things like drill, pain, hurt and shot. Talking about the dentist with a positive tone will make your children feel that there is nothing to worry about.

Emphasize the importance of good oral hygiene: Teach your child that visiting the dentist is a necessity, not a choice, and that the dentist will take care of their teeth so they can have a beautiful smile. It’s also important to emphasize how proper oral hygiene will allow for teeth that are strong enough to eat with.  A no-nonsense attitude from the parent will set the stage for what the child should expect, in order to achieve excellent oral health.

At Pediatric Dentistry of Suffolk County, children should never be afraid to come in for a visit. Our nurturing  and compassionate approach to pediatric dentistry, ensures that our patients are comfortable at all times. To learn more about our practice visit us here, or give us a call at 631-320-0880 to schedule an appointment today!