Going to the dentist at any age can be a stressful experience, but for kids, it can be particularly traumatic. Understanding the source of your child’s fears will make it possible for you to help them overcome their anxiety. Helping your little one conquer their nervousness at an early age will have a positive impact on their oral health for their rest of their life.

While there are many potential reasons your child could be afraid of the dentist, here are three of the most common:

• Loud Noises: Dental offices are inherently noisy places. Those sounds are even louder and pose a more immediate “threat” once your child is in the dental chair. A good pediatric dentist will help allay their patients’ fears by explaining the tools they will use, showing what they look like, and providing warnings about the sounds they’ll make.
• Prior Bad Experiences: If your child had a scary or painful experience at the dentist previously, they are sure to fear going back, and rightly so. Adults tend to have the same apprehensions about returning to any place where they’ve had a bad experience. If a painful experience is the root of your child’s fears, consider looking for a new pediatric dentist. A good oral care provider who specializes in children’s dental care can help your little one overcome their fears.
• Your Own Fears: A lot of adults have dental anxiety of their own. When you have children, it’s possible to project those fears onto them. Your kids will pick up on your apprehensions and act accordingly. To avoid this, seek help to ease your own fears and find ways to make going to the dentist less stressful.

Your child’s fears may stem from any number of reasons, so it’s important to get to the root of the problem. The experienced pediatric team at Bert Bathiany, DMD, knows how to avoid the development of dental fear in children and can help you address fears that are already present. Visit them online or call their Florence, KY, office at (859) 525-2100 to schedule an appointment with the dentist today.