Researchers estimate that one in every five children suffers from dental anxiety. For some children, the anxiety is so severe you don't want to even imagine trying to take them to a dentist. Children need to visit dentists twice a year each year, however, in order to maintain their dental health. If you have a child who is terrified to visit the dentist, what should you do? Here are some suggestions.
Problems with No Dental Visits
Children who never visit the dentist can experience a host of issues. One of the most important reasons children need to visit the dentist is so dentists can look at teeth, gums, mouth structures, and jaw and determine that everything is progressing normally.
Researchers know that when children don't go to the dentist, they can have a whole host of problems. If children have cavities that are untreated in their baby teeth, the disease can cause the permanent teeth to come in discolored, misshapen, or crooked. Also, dentists are trained to look at mouth structures, such as the palate, to see if there are problems. Because children's teeth and mouth structures are growing so quickly, if there are issues with a child's mouth, they can be fixed quickly. However, if children don't visit the dentist, they may be setting themselves up for several years of dental problems.
How to Help Your Child Conquer Their Fear
You can help your child conquer their fear of the dentist. First, it will help if you expose your child to as much positivity about dentists as possible. There are children's books, videos, and television shows all about dentists and what dentists do. The more children see about dental visits, the easier it will be to talk to them about visiting the dentist. Second, you may want to schedule something fun or special for you and your child to do after the dental visit so that your child will look forward to the dental visit. You might also want to reward your child with a new toy or book after the visit ends. By working with your child to conquer their fear, they will quickly learn that visiting the dentist is no big deal.
Researchers estimate that one in every five children suffers from dental anxiety. For some children, the anxiety is so severe you don't want to even imagine trying to take them to a dentist. Children need to visit dentists twice a year each year, however, in order to maintain their dental health. If you have a child who is terrified to visit the dentist, what should you do? Here are some suggestions. 