Children’s fears are different and strange at times. Children are afraid of the monsters that are under their bed, dogs, thunder and lightning and sometimes even doctors and above all,
So true, a lot of people, even adults, are afraid of the dentist. Visits to him are usually unpleasant and some of them dig into your teeth. Sometimes, what scares him is the tools he uses and this chair lying on it. It seems like he’s some evil scientist doing experiments on us.
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But the truth, that everyone knows, is that the dentist is here to help. Despite this, the fear is uncontrollable. If your child is afraid of the dentist and visits to him are a nightmare over and over again, it can be very frustrating. In the next article, we will present some reasons for fear of the dentist and also explain what you can do to alleviate this fear and who knows, maybe help the child to overcome it completely.
Children’s fears – fear of pain
The main cause of a child’s fear of the dentist is very simple – they are afraid of the pain that the treatment causes them. We all know that the treatment of the dentist is unpleasant but is very necessary. The children do not understand it yet and for them it is a punishment to come to his care.
In addition, many times, in TV shows and movies, dentists are portrayed as evil and those who sometimes even make mistakes and whose outcome of their treatment is unpleasant. It is impossible to prevent them from being exposed to these things because today, children are online and their content consumption has increased greatly. Plus, the series they watch are harmless at all and it’s all an imaginary plot. Despite this, they take this plot very seriously.
What you can do is reassure them that this is not the case and that the dentist is there to help them maintain good oral hygiene and give them a more beautiful smile.
Children’s fears – it’s not them it’s you
Sometimes, the fear of the dentist can be passed down from generation to generation. The implication is that if you are afraid of the dentist and you go in with the child for treatment when you are shaking and with a worried and apprehensive look, the child sees this and understands that if you are afraid, there is probably something to be afraid of.
You need to be brave and not show the child that you are afraid, even if a visit to the dentist is your biggest fear. Even if you return from treatment at the dentist that you went through on your own, you must fight the urge to scream in pain in front of the children so as not to increase their fear even further.
Children’s fears – a bad first impression
First impressions are the most important thing in meeting people because there is no second chance to make a first impression. Therefore, the child’s fear can be caused by a bad first impression.
The child’s first encounter with the dentist may not have been good for some reason. It could be because he needed some sort of displacement for some reason, it could be because he came to him after a past injury that resulted in the need for serious dental care or anything else.
All you need is to make the child a corrective experience. Explain the matter to the dentist and ask him to be extra nice. The child should get some chopper after the treatment, whether it is a sticker or anything else the child will like. Admittedly the initial impression will not change but not always the first date is amazing.
Children’s fears – they have no control
Who among us does not like to be in control? Everybody loves. When we sit down on the dentist’s chair, we give up control and leave the doctor in control of the situation. Kids do not like this because they are not so used to being in these situations. The dentist is not a character rooted in their mind who is the authority like for example parents or the teacher at school.
Therefore, they are afraid that someone else, whom they do not know or trust, is in a state of control over them. It causes them to raise their walls of defense. In time, as they grow up, they will understand the role of the dentist and realize that when they come to him, he is the authority and will get his control of it instead.
Children’s fears – overcoming fear
Does the child’s facial expression change every time you tell him it’s time to go to the dentist and with joy he becomes sad and scared? As you can see, this is not something that is rare to see but even very common.
Sit with the child before you go to the dentist, try to understand what scares him in this experience. If this is something you can overcome, do it. If this is something that is directly related to the doctor, take him for a short talk before treatment and explain the situation to him. He sure will be happy to help.
Children have all kinds of fears and the fear of the dentist is one of the most common. Try to explain to the child the importance of visiting the dentist and try to understand what the root of the fear is. Now that you understand the reasons for the fears, you can, in your own way, help a child overcome it.
