Dental care is a vital part of your child’s overall well-being, but this can be difficult to practice properly if your child is afraid of the dentist. Fear can be normal, particularly in children between the ages of 7 and 12, but shouldn’t keep you from making their dental care a priority. Consider the most common factors of dental fear and how you can help your child combat these concerns.

Top 3 Dental Fears in Children

1. Fear of the Unknown

Your child may be familiar with your family doctor, but if they haven’t been to the dentist yet, it can cause some anxiety before their first appointment. Children can experience fear when they’re unsure what to expect, but you can help ease their concerns by talking them through what will happen during the first appointment and familiarizing them with the process.

2. Office Anxiety

Regular dental care and checkups involve unknown instruments and movements that children are not familiar with. If your child experiences anxiety caused by the sight, feel, or noise of dental instruments, talk with your dentist about showing and explaining the tools before using them. Sometimes, seeing the tools and learning more about what they do can help relieve any worries your child has. Additionally, you can use other coping techniques to alleviate concerns, whether it’s a blanket to help them feel safer or music to help drown out the noise of the dental work.

3. Painful Experience

If your child has experienced pain during one of their previous dental care appointments, this can cause them to associate this medical professional with discomfort. Acknowledge your child’s feelings and talk to them about what would make them feel more comfortable during their appointment. This could include reading to them to help occupy their mind or visiting the park once their checkup is complete.  

If you’re looking for a dentist to help your child feel comfortable during their dental care visits, talk to the professionals at Alaska Dentistry for Kids in Anchorage. In addition to providing a host of preventive, restorative and wellness services, the dentist on staff is also experienced with providing care for young children with anxiety or fears. To learn more about the practice, visit them online or call (907) 274-2525.