5 Tips to Get a Kicking and Screaming Child to Like the Dentist

It’s not an ideal world.

In an ideal world, dental visits are an easy experience. Kids would like the dentist, leave with their treat at the end, and everyone would go on about their day! However, this isn’t an ideal world. For some children, dental visits can be tough, even when it’s a simple dental cleaning. This can be due to previous experiences, whether dental or medical in general.

Now, if your child is dealing with panic surrounding the dentist, trust us—you’re not alone. Dental anxiety is incredibly common in both adults and children. It’s a large problem, and we believe that we can change this with a little extra patience.

This fear can be a completely normal part of childhood development, but it can also be due to something more. Take a deep breath, give them the biggest hug, and let’s talk about how to help them learn to like the dentist. After all, Must Love Kids specializes in turning those screams into smiles.

Start the conversation early.

One of the best ways to get a child used to the dentist is by talking to them about it. You can never start this conversation too early. Talk about how the dentist helps keep their teeth clean, gets rid of the sugar bugs. Make their dentist a household name. Ensure it’s not a big deal, just another person in their world that helps keep your little one healthy.

To help with this, look around for some picture books about the dentist. If you don’t have one at home, be sure to run by your local library. We can guarantee that the librarian will have plenty of new book ideas just for your little one. Often, children’s shows have episodes about the dentist as well. Look around and see what you can find!

Avoid “scary” language.

Those little ears hear everything. When you’re talking about the dentist, do what you can to avoid language that could be scary to your little ones. Yes, this even counts when you are talking about your own dental experiences with another adult.

Do your best to keep words like “pain,” “shot,” or “drill” away. Those words can make a child’s fight-or-flight mode turn on in about two seconds flat. The last thing you want is for your child to associate pain or discomfort with the dentist! Some alternate words you can try are “tooth tickle” or even “sugar bug cleaning.” Much less scary. In fact, they’re even cute! If you deal with dental anxiety of your own, you might be surprised to see how this small shift might even help you!

Practice at home.

Practice makes perfect! One of the best ways to help your child feel comfortable with the idea of the dentist is by role-playing a dental visit with stuffed animals. Your little ones are sure to have fun coming up with all kinds of scenarios for their stuffed animals and their “sugar bug” cleanings.

Let them look in your mouth as well and pretend to be a dentist! You might want to avoid pokey objects for this game, but your little ones are still going to have a blast learning about teeth and seeing how it’s not so scary!

Choose the right dental team.

It goes without saying that creating good experiences around the dentist will help your child feel comfortable going. A good way to do this is by choosing the right dental team! Find a pediatric dentist who is trained to work with anxious kids. We are biased (and rightfully so) and have to suggest Must Love Kids. We have a fun, welcoming environment designed for your little ones! We are prepared to take our time with each child, ensuring they feel like the royalty they are!

Celebrate the visit—no matter what.

Always, always celebrate those dental visits. It doesn’t matter if there was a cavity or even if your child had a meltdown when they walked into the room. Offer all the praise, tell them how brave they were to go in there! Offer a small reward, or even a special activity afterward. With time, they will learn to associate the rewards with the dental appointment.

Focus on that bravery, not perfection. Every visit is bound to be different for a child, and that is okay! Always remind them how good they are doing, and how proud you are of them. With time, this patience will pay off.

Even the nervous children can like the dentist.

With patience, the right support, and a fun-focused dental team, even the most nervous child can grow to love dental visits. Trust us—it’s our specialty. Are you ready to get that appointment on the calendar? Hop online and request an appointment. We’re here to help you and your child every step of the way. Over time, your little ones will grow to love the dentist too!