You love your child’s smile, and you want to protect it so that it stays brilliant and sparkling. By establishing a strong oral hygiene routine coupled with regular dental visits, you can help your child keep their grin beautiful and healthy for life. However, not all kids are enthusiastic about dentists or doctors. If your little one is apprehensive, try these tips.

3 Tips to Make Kids Comfortable at the Dentist

1. Take a Tour

Visit the dentist together before their appointment to introduce them to the office and show them it’s a friendly place. If they’re not too busy, ask the hygienists and dentist to take a moment to chat with your child. Seeing the professionals without their face masks on and talking to them will help your little one understand that they’re not scary.

2. Use Books & Toys

Kids learn a lot through play, especially in their early years. Try role-playing as a dentist and let your child be the patient so that they can adjust to having their mouth open. After, allow your kid to be the dentist and use plush animals and dolls as patients so that they know dentists don’t mean any harm.

You can also introduce the idea of going to the dentist by reading books. For example, choose a picture book where the main character goes to the dentist for the first time or loses their baby teeth. There are also fun songs you can sing together about the importance of oral hygiene.

3. Stay Positive

Kids are very perceptive. If they sense you have trepidation about your dental appointments, they may feel more nervous, too. Refrain from using negative words in association with dentistry or oral hygiene in their presence. Most importantly, don’t use words like “hurt” or “pain.” Use words kids can relate to in a positive way, such as referring to plaque and bacteria as “sugar bugs.”

Although you might want to empathize with your child’s anxiety, don’t talk about bad experiences you’ve had with your teeth as this can scare them. Instead, focus on the positives, such as how regular dental care can keep their teeth healthy for life.

In addition to these tips, choosing a friendly and compassionate pediatric dentist will help ease your child’s apprehension. Nelson Hatanaka, D.D.S., welcomes patients of all ages across Oahu and provides several general dentistry services, including teeth cleanings, dental emergency care, and digital X-rays. Dr. Hatanaka and his team offer flexible office hours and early morning appointments to accommodate your schedule. New patients can call their Honolulu office at (808) 395-1922 to book an appointment, or view them on Yelp to read customer reviews.