More About Dental Anxiety in Children

In part one of this post, we looked at a few techniques that dentists apply to their younger patients to help alleviate anxiety during their visits. Part two will expand on these techniques, and show how they are best employed.

KEEP THEM ENTERTAINED

Providing a little bit of fun in the dentists office can work as a great tool to distract from dental anxiety. Bring in a box of safe toys that young patients can delve into and choose one. While they are waiting to be seen, let them play with this toy. Where possible, letting the child play with the toy during a procedure can make it a much more pleasant experience for everyone. Granted, not all procedures allow for this.

Creating a dialogue with your patient can be a very useful tool. Keeping their mind occupied with conversation is a surefire way of relieving some of the stresses that a dental procedure can bring. However, dentists should be prepared for a bit of a one-way conversation once the procedure begins.

INCENTIVISE GOOD BEHAVIOUR

Kids love gifts. It doesn’t really matter if it’s a toothbrush or a sticker, the gesture of a gift is something that a child is particularly fond of. Using these trinkets as an incentive for good behaviour in the waiting room and dentists chair can reinforce a good experience for the child. An important part of this tactic is keeping an open dialogue with the parent regarding the trinkets and make sure they are suitable.

INVOLVE PARENTS

Using parents to ease anxiety at the dentists is an incredibly helpful method. As a child already trusts and listens to their parent, a dentist can bring their expertise in should a bout of anxiety flare up in the patient. If there is any stress or anxiety with the young patient, there should be no hesitation is asking for the parents help. Although having a parent there throughout a procedure can cause problems, utilising them when things go awry is important. Everyone involved will feel more reassured because of their involvement, so it makes sense to do it.

These strategies are just a few that a dentist may employ to help with the stresses of the dentist for kids. With hope, dentists can provide happy experiences that will make their next visits stress-free. However, should anything go wrong it’s good to know these failsafes exist.