Dental fears are fairly common for patients of all ages. If your little one is not excited to go to the dentist or is constantly making dental visits take longer by avoiding seeing the dentist, we have a few tips. Simply put, in order to help any child with fears of the dentist you need to follow a relatively simple process. First, we need to understand the root cause of the fear, then we need to understand how best to address that root fear. If you live in the Chicago area and are interested in family dental appointments we can help! We have 11 locations in the Chicago area that can help take care of your kids. Contact us for more information.
3 Reasons Kids Fear The Dentist
As we said, one of the first steps in addressing any fear is understanding where it comes from. There are three common root fears that often explain why a child might fear the dentist. That said, there might be other reasons your son or daughter might be afraid to go to a dental office. It is important to pay attention to your child to get an understanding of where their fear is coming from. Here are the common fears.
- Fear Of The Unknown: One of the most obvious reasons to fear any medical appointment is that you do not know what is going to happen. At any age, nothing makes us more uncomfortable than the sensation that you don’t know for sure what is going to happen next. Some easy solutions are to talk to your child about what to expect, have kids play dentist with toys at home, and choose a dentist who can patiently lead your child through their dental visit. Another way to provide familiarity is to go to a dentist that allows you to stay with your child during the visit. A familiar face can go a long way in helping your child.
- Fear Of A Loss Of Control: Another common reason to fear a medical visit is because you have little control in what happens. Sitting in a chair with strangers working on your teeth and gums can be a bit overwhelming. Some ways to help with this is to remind your children how their dentist is helping them and to talk to your dentist about your child’s fear. Some dentists will give kids a hand signal for when they want the dentist to stop or slow down. It is a great way to provide an element of control for kids.
- Fear Of Pain Or Discomfort: Of course, this is common for parents and kids. If your child has had a bad experience in the past with a dentist or has heard from you, their siblings, or friends about how dental visits can hurt, it is easy to be build that up in your head. The suspense and fear of pain or discomfort can make it hard to do many different things. It is important to choose a dentist who is gentle and specializes in working with kids.
Contact Bedford Dental For Family Dental Services in Chicago
Here at Bedford Dental in Chicago we work with patients of all ages to provide excellent dental services. We understand that fear of the dentist is fairly common. We work with kids to make sure they feel comfortable throughout their dental visits. Visit our website for more information.