Dentists specializing in pediatric dental care St Johns county recommend the following tips to prepare and calm children for dental appointments.

Schedule the First Visit By Age One

A child’s first tooth will usually emerge around age one. It is never too early to begin dental care, and familiarizing your child with a dental office from an early age will reduce anxiety during future visits.

Avoid Details

When you inform your child about an upcoming appointment, it is best to avoid offering too many details about what will occur. Suggesting that the visit will be pain-free or not involve any procedures will imply that some visits could be uncomfortable. Your child will also negatively associate with the dental office if your predictions are false and the dentist detects a problem.

Use Relatable Concepts

Avoid using dental terminology to describe dental procedures. Words, including “scrape,” “drill,” “cavity,” “shot,” or “hurt,” can frighten children, even when you use them to describe a positive outcome or benefit. Instead, focus on how your child and the dentist will team up to chase away “mouth monsters.”

Create Excitement

When your child is old enough to realize a trip to see a dentist is imminent, you can point out that sitting in the dental chair to show emerging teeth to the dentist is a right of passage that a “big kid” gets to experience. Your child can take pride in assuming this seat of honor.

Try Role Play

Fear of the unknown contributes to children’s anxiety about the dentist or any new experience. Try preparing your child with role play that uses a favorite stuffed toy to demonstrate what will happen during a dental appointment. Give your child an opportunity to assume the role of the dentist by exploring your mouth. Try reversing roles to familiarize your child with the touch of the dentist’s hands.

Preparing your child for a dental office visit can promote habits leading to a healthy mouth over a lifetime.