It's common among both children and adults to be anxious about seeing the dentist. As a parent, you can help relieve this fear to make dental appointments more comfortable. Start preparing your child well before their dental appointment so they'll be ready for their visit.

How Can I Help My Child Enjoy Dentist Visits?

1. Clean Their Teeth

You should clean your child's mouth morning and night from the time they're born, and especially when their teeth start to come in. This serves two purposes. First, it gets your child used to someone looking in their mouth and touching their teeth. Second, it means they're much more likely to have healthy teeth, making every trip to the dentist shorter, more pleasant, and pain-free.

2. Practice

When your child is very small, you can practice the position your dentist will use to examine your child by setting them on your lap, facing you, then leaning them gently back. As they get older and start to pretend, play dentist with them. Take turns being the dentist and patient to help normalize the process, let them know what to expect, and give them a sense of control.

3. Take Them in Outside of Their Appointment

Part of the reason the dentist can be scary for kids is that it's an unfamiliar environment full of strangers. Call your general dentistry office and ask them when a good time would be to bring your child in to look around. They can get acquainted with the office and meet the team, so when they return for their actual appointment, it'll all be familiar.

To help your child get used to the dentist, visit Avon Dental Care. Serving Lorain County, OH, for over 20 years, they offer advanced dental care to the whole family, with modern treatments, including dental implants. Whatever your dental need or concern, they can help. Schedule at (440) 937-2273 or learn about their services online.