It is common for anyone to have a fear of the dentist. People associate the dentist with pain and scary tools. Yet, it is a practice that is there to help improve your health. Therefore, it should not be something to be afraid of. 

Should your children be afraid to attend the dentist, it is important for them to go. You might have once had the same fear, or still, worry from time to time. However, with these tips, you and your children will be able to over the fear of the dentist and feel more comfortable when attending. 

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Attend the dentist together

If your children have a fear of attending their sessions alone, while you wait outside or in the waiting room, it will help if you go in with them. Likewise, if you worry about the dentist, you know how comforting it is to take a friend. 

Therefore, attend a practice that offers group sessions so that you can go together and get your checkups or treatments done in the same room. You can show your child that there is nothing to be afraid of.

You can find services for your family to attend group sessions on westvalleydental.com. 

Encourage them to go with a treat

Getting over a fear of the dentist is just like overcoming stagefright, the more you avoid doing it the worse your fear will become. Therefore, it is important to encourage your children to attend their appointments, even if they are worried.

It might be more successful to encourage them to go by offering them a treat as a reward. You likely know how good it feels to deal with your fear knowing that there is a reward on the other end of it. It will help them have something to look forward to and entice them to go.

Practice at home

If your child’s fear of the dentist is because of the tools, then it can help to play at home and practice the scenarios. This will help the tools and setting feel more familiar to your child, which may help them feel calmer when it is happening in real life. 

You can play dress up and make going to the dentist fun, which will help them feel more encouraged to attend the appointments as they might see it as fun.

Bring their favorite toy

Speaking of toys and playtime, it can help your child feel more comfortable going to the dentist if you bring their favorite toy or comforter with them. 

Having their favorite object with them will give them something to focus on and find comfort in. Although you might help them feel calmer, there is nothing quite as distracting as a toy.

Using these tips, you can help your child feel more comfortable and calm when attending the dentist. It isn’t easy to overcome fear. Yet, ensuring that you go with them and take their favorite toy might just help them feel less anxious.