Children should visit their pediatric dentist for a checkup every six months for optimal oral health. For many children, these appointments can be seamless; your child can enjoy the experience and take pride in having a healthy smile. For others, however, the process isn't always a breeze. Some children are anxious about visiting the dentist, which can make the buildup to the checkup and the appointment itself challenging for everyone involved. Although your kids dentist will do his or her best to keep your child calm and content during the appointment, there are things that you can do before the day in question to improve the ease of the experience.
Ensure The Child Is Adequately Rested
It's common for children to be difficult when they're overly tired, so keep this thought in mind in the day leading up to the appointment. Get your child to bed in good time on the night before the checkup and, if the appointment is scheduled for later in the afternoon, see if you can get the child to have a nap beforehand if he or she is of the age where napping is common. For young children, try to keep the day before low key and calm -- a thrilling trip to the zoo can tire the child out and make the day of the dental clinic visit a bit of a challenge.
Keep The Date Of The Checkup To Yourself
While children react in different ways to every situation, it's often beneficial to avoid telling your child about the dental checkup well in advance. If your child is already contending with some degree of anxiety about visiting the dentist, thinking about the checkup over a period of days can make the issue seem even larger. One approach is to give your child the news in the evening before the next day's appointment and, of course, provide this information in an upbeat, positive manner.
Don't Offer Bribes
As a parent, it can be tempting to bride your child to help get through a potentially challenging situation. This strategy can be problematic because it puts the child in the position of control; he or she can act out, then behave better, in order to earn a gift. A healthier strategy is to think about providing an unexpected reward for the child. Instead of telling the child to behave for the sake of a reward, explain the importance of having a checkup and then, if the child acted well, consider doing something enjoyable together afterward, such as visiting a park.
Share16 December 2015
The average dentist takes many client appointments each day and also deals with emergency situations on a regular basis. Dental emergencies are very common because people are likely to put off having tooth pain fixed until the pain becomes unbearable. Some people have anxiety about dental visits, and others are trying to avoid the expense of dental care. In either case, the end result is often a dental emergency. I have worked as a professional dental hygienist for many years and have seen all types of dental emergencies. I hope that this blog will help people identify potential emergencies before they become too serious and will allow people to know when to get help.
