Fear of the dentist in children: learn how to deal with it

by Wildsmile

It must be considered that the fear may be greater if the child is nervous or insecure and if we add to this, that in general children are less likely to endure pain or fear as adults, they tend to stay with a bad impression of visiting the dentist, developing “dentophobia”, or fear of the dentist.

How do you know if your child has symptoms of fear of the dentist?

1) Doesn't want to leave the house when it's time to go to the dentist.

2) Mmakes up an illness before visiting the dentist.

3) Cries on the way and does not want to come into the dental office.

4) Does not let the dentist examine him/her.

How to take away the fear of the dentist in children?

Here are 3 main tips you can do to help your child overcome his or her fear of the dentist:

1) Familiarity does not cause distrust or fear. The most important thing for prevention is to take your child with you from the time the first teeth appear, so that everything that concerns the dentist becomes familiar to him or her.

2) Aavoid negative comments about the dentist in the presence of your child, as this may scare him/her.

3) Otra solución muy efectiva, es que los padres vayan a hacerse en compañía de su hijo un tratamiento dental sencillo, así él verá que no es algo que cause dolor, quejas o malestar. Another very effective solution is that parents go with their child for a simple dental treatment, so he/she can see that it is not something that causes pain, complaints or discomfort.

Nowadays, thanks to effective anaesthetics, practically any dental treatment causes pain. In some clinics, conscious sedation is used, which consists of leaving the patient completely relaxed, but without being unconscious, thus being able to interact with the dentist all the time.