As much as we know how essential it is to visit the dentist in Marylebone, we cannot help feeling some trepidation about the check-up. “Will I gag on cotton wool?”, “Be reprimanded for my lack of dental care?” and “Will there be pain involved?” are common anxiety fuelled concerns that have people overthinking the situation. However you know that, at the end of the day, it is in your best interests to not skip your appointment. As a parent with younger children who are terrified of dentists, doctors or any other medical professionals, the event of going to have their milk teeth checked can be far more of an ordeal. Crying, screaming and tantrums form part of the process, with a promise of a sweet at the end for good behaviour, which to us, defeats the purpose of the visit in the first place.
Our team at Plowman & Partners work with people of all ages and know how to treat your reluctant offspring so that they leave our office smiling and showing off their sparkling and healthy milk teeth.
We have devised a list of helpful advice and handy tips to make dental visits easier for you and your little one.
Hide your fear of the dentist
Growing up, you might not have received the best dental treatment, but that does not mean you should pass your negative perceptions of dentists to your offspring as a means of protecting them.
Be positive and explain why going for checkups is good for their oral health, and why brushing their teeth is essential. By mimicking your perceived behaviours, in time, they will develop a healthy attitude not just toward the practitioners, but all medical professionals in all fields.
Early exposure
Start taking your child to the dental clinic as soon as milk teeth start appearing. Constant exposure from an early age gets them used to visiting the dentist in Marylebone, even the less fun bits, and helps them to see that the dental check-ups are a necessary part of life.
Play fun “dentist” games at home
The imagination of a child knows no bounds, so why not make the most of it through role-play? Allow them to take on the role of the dentist and you as the patient, where they heal and fix your teeth. Through play, a healthy and positive attitude towards dentists will occur, where they are seen as helpful and healing, and not out to cause harm to your child.
Tell your child in advance about the checkup
Parents make the mistake of springing the news of a dentist’s appointment at the last minute. Rest assured, this tactic will not work. Children like predictability and need the time to prepare for events that do not occur every day. Tell them that it is okay to be scared and to express those fears with you. This time also helps them to formulate and ask questions to pose to you or the dentist on the day.
Be honest
You cannot promise your offspring that they will not experience pain or discomfort, because that might not be true, and will only instill further distrust of the dentist.
What you can tell them is how and why they will encounter certain sensations. If you do not know how to answer their questions, leave it to our team of experts, and we will gladly assist!
Every parent wants to shield their children from pain and suffering, but that should not mean keeping them from the dentist. Early exposure and a positive attitude are the keys to a less traumatic visit to the dentist’s office.