A child is very afraid to have his teeth treated, what to do and how to teach him if he doesn’t want to: how to persuade children (under 10 years old) to go to the dentist - advice from children’s dentists, how to force them to go when kids are too young

In order for your teeth to be not only beautiful, but also healthy, you need to take care of them from early childhood. However, oral hygiene alone is not enough to prevent the development of various problems such as tooth decay or plaque. At least once every six months, the baby should be taken to the dental office for examination and preventive procedures. But how can this be done if he panics at the mention of doctors and clinics? In the article we tell you what to do, how to teach a child not to be afraid of the dentist and force him to treat his teeth, we share useful life hacks, how to ensure the right psychological mood.

Where does fear come from?

Dentophobia is the name given to the fear of treatment at the dentist. If it is present, a person seeks the help of a specialist only in extreme cases, when there is no longer any possibility of enduring the pain. Children also suffer from it. At a young age, fear is usually caused by already acquired negative experiences. At the same time, it is not the dentists themselves who may frighten the baby, but the “white coats” in general. If you do not overcome this phobia in childhood, it will spread into adulthood, and then it will be almost impossible to get rid of it.

If you don’t know how to force your child to go to the dentist, but he refuses to have his teeth treated, first of all you need to find out the reason for what is happening. Most often, fear occurs for the following reasons:

the baby sees a doctor for the first time or experiences severe pain;
there are character traits - suspiciousness, shyness, indecisiveness;
Previously, the baby had already been forcibly held in a dental chair for some procedures, a negative experience was ingrained in his head;
the parent could not explain why it is important to go to the dentist, why all these manipulations are needed.

Note that young children almost always react negatively to examination of the oral cavity. This seems something unnatural, and that is why it is perceived so hostile. The general goal of parents is to convince the baby that there is nothing wrong with what is happening. On the contrary, it will help him be healthy and beautiful.

In addition, it is important to combat the fear of “white coats.” The baby should not be afraid of doctors, because in any case he will have to contact them. Not necessarily for treatment - preventive examinations in kindergarten and school have not been canceled.

How to overcome fear in teenagers

If a child’s fear of dentists has not been overcome at an early age, then it persists until adolescence. To overcome these fears, it is important to build trust and show respect for the patient. Firstly, you should always tell and show what will happen. Explain what the doctor is going to do and why. Secondly, it is imperative to ask permission for all procedures performed - for example, a diagnostic examination. These simple rules will help the child understand what awaits him, and most importantly, for what purpose. Thanks to this, the fear of the unknown is eliminated.

At the appointment, the dentist must listen to both the patient and his parent. This will make it clearer to him how best to carry out treatment. It is important to explain to the teenager the meaning of treatment and future procedures so that his interest in the positive results of treatment increases. In addition, the goals of a child and adults may differ. For example, parents go to get braces to correct the bite, but the teenager does not want this and does not see the point in it. In such cases, it is worth postponing treatment until the child himself understands that this is really necessary.

Basic mistakes

Fear is not born out of nowhere. Every phobia has a root cause. And, no matter how bitter it may be to realize this, it is often the parents who become the creators of fears. Remember, even an accidentally dropped word can make a tremendous impression on a child and influence his life.

Below we look at the most common mistakes that inexperienced mothers and fathers make:

Going to the dentist even if you have problems. Of course, in such a state (when the tooth aches and hurts), it will be extremely difficult for the baby to trust a stranger. That is why it is necessary to take him for routine examinations - for adaptation.
Lack of motivation to undergo treatment. From an early age it is important to develop positive health-saving attitudes. If developed in childhood, they will remain forever and will help a person adhere to the principles of a healthy lifestyle.
Use of violence. Never force your baby to do anything. A quality dialogue and search for compromises are always necessary.
Well, a convenient time to visit. All visits to the hospital should be arranged at a time that is convenient for the visitor.

Well, the main thing is deception. Do not lie about the absolute painlessness of the procedure if you know in advance that this is not so.

First visit

Above we have already partially touched on the importance of initial experience, now let’s talk about it in more detail. The child’s subsequent attitude towards the dentist and dental treatment in general depends on how the session goes.

What is important? No coercion. Don't try to force yourself to love the dental office. Usually such actions only cause negative reactions.

The most effective way is to lead by example. When you yourself are not afraid of dentistry and understand the importance of all the procedures performed, the baby will absorb your mood and will not worry.

In addition, so that the child is not afraid, it is good to go to the pediatric dentist. Those dentists who work with adults often lack the tact and sensitivity required at a young age.

Introductory visit

For convenience, we attach a detailed scenario of how the first visit should go:

Acquaintance. The doctor cannot immediately begin with treatment or perform any complex manipulations. His task is to win over the patient.
Gloves. Wearing them is not recommended, as is using intimidating tools and devices. The best option is to organize a short tour of the office with a story about what is needed and why.
Dialogue. All actions must be accompanied by explanations. The unknown scares the baby.
Leisure. In some clinics, cartoons are played or toys are provided for young patients. This is a good solution to shift your focus.

Please note that we are talking about a routine preventive examination.

After reception

After a visit to the dental office, the child should be praised, emphasizing that he is very brave and that you are proud of him. It will be good if at home the child talks about his visit to the dentist, what actions the doctor performed, and that it turned out to be not scary at all. It is important to take your child to the dentist even when nothing is bothering you, so to speak, as planned. Thanks to this, the baby will become even more accustomed to the doctor and the psychological environment of his doctor’s office. data-yashareQuickServices=»yaru,vkontakte,facebook,twitter,odnoklassniki,moimir,gplus» data-yashareTheme=»counter»>

What to do when a child is very afraid and does not want to have his teeth treated: how to persuade him to go to the dentist

Some modern techniques, developed jointly with psychologists, involve exciting adventures, while others involve a preliminary study of possible problems. Below we talk about the most successful and popular practices that can be easily adapted to Russian reality.

Playing doctor

This is a unique tool for understanding the world around us, especially in childhood. Even the most unremarkable and disgusting things seem more attractive and interesting if they are presented in a positive playful way. Turning a standard trip to the dentist into a real adventure is an art. However, if you don’t want your baby to develop dental phobia, this is exactly what you should do.

Below are the most successful entertainment scenarios:

Offer to treat your favorite toy's teeth. The child will be so interested in the process that he will want to check the condition of his own.
Role-playing game. Something from the “mother-daughter” category, only “doctor-patient”. First, the parent will act as a dentist - just to explain and tell how everything works. And then the baby will try on this image. Such tricks help dispel fears before visiting the office.
A fairy tale about the good doctor Aibolit. Before your visit, you can watch the old cartoon.

Of course, this is not a complete list of all games. You are free to invent and propose your own. The main thing is to create a comfortable psychological environment.

Reward and encouragement

Just as bad behavior in a dental clinic should be discouraged, good behavior should be rewarded. It is best to give the gift to the doctor so that he, in turn, gives it to the baby. Such a simple manipulation will win the favor of the little patient.

However, gifts should not become a management tool. During each visit, the child is introduced to the culture of health care and is more responsible about the state of the oral cavity.

Cartoons during treatment

Watching your favorite cartoon during a visit will help you take your mind off what the doctor is doing and concentrate on something more pleasant. This technique is actively practiced by dentists at Dentic Kids.

Own example

Of course, cartoons, games, gifts are all very good. But remember, nothing works better than a worthy personal example. If you yourself literally faint at the mere mention of the need to see a dentist, it is unlikely that you will be able to develop a love for this specialist in your children. That is why, before raising them, it is important to work through your own fears and phobias.

If, on the contrary, you understand the importance of dental treatment and endure any procedures, then it would be a good idea to go to the session with your baby. There he will see your positive attitude and will quickly be charged with the right mood.

What to do if your tooth already hurts

It’s easy to talk about preventive procedures and routine examinations. The child is not in any danger, he does not experience acute pain, and he can resist going to the dentist’s office only for some personal reasons. In such situations, you have enough time and resources to change his mind, dispel his fears, and help him get into the right frame of mind. But what to do when the tooth is already aching? Pain and discomfort are not exactly what instills a love for dentistry.

My child is afraid to have his teeth drilled, how can I take him to the dentist? If there is no time for persuasion, try to talk to him like an adult. Explain everything that is happening, tell him why he is experiencing discomfort, and then offer a solution. Imagine the dentist in some kind of fairy-tale light, give him the role of a wizard who will make it so that it no longer hurts.

There is no point in deceiving your child that everything will go smoothly and painlessly. Having encountered a lie once, he may gradually begin to treat your words with greater caution, and in some cases, lose trust.

Thus, the key to solving the problem is confidential negotiations and discussions without secrets or embellishment.

Literature

Boyko V.V. Recognizing and overcoming fear at a dental appointment // Institute of Dentistry, 2002. – No. 1, 4. – P. 15-23.
Vinogradova T.F., Snagina N.T. Guide to pediatric dentistry // Medicine, 1995. – pp. 75-83.
Gashimov R.G., Arakelova M.N. Psychological characteristics of children with dental diseases // Dentistry, 1988. – pp. 58-60.
Ivanov G.G., Ivanova M.A. Assessment of the psycho-emotional state of children // Childhood Dentistry and Prevention, 2001. – No. 1. – P. 23-26.
Lepelin A.V., Sutenkov D.Ya., Kazakova L.N. Psycho-emotional stress as the basis of dental phobia and the cause of the development of fear // Pediatric dentistry and prevention, 2004. - No. 3. – P.18-25

How not to be afraid of the dentist for children 10 years old and older

While it is still possible to agree on something with a child, it is much more difficult to do this with a teenager. Age plays a huge role - it is difficult and critical; it makes you distrustful of adults and often enter into conflicts with them. Your main task as a parent is to establish a warm relationship with your own child. It is necessary to explain: his choice is respected and taken into account. Next, by creating a favorable psychological environment, you can position your child to visit the dentist’s office.

However, everything is not so simple here either. Sometimes fear is caused by unpleasant experiences in early childhood. You can hardly get by with just one conversation. How then? Let's look at some tips from dentists on what to do if a child is terrified of going to the dentist:

Talk through all the procedures to be done. Often the unknown is much more frightening. A detailed discussion of all manipulations helps to dispel some of the fears.
If your teen refuses a visit and the situation is not an emergency, do not insist on treatment. Perhaps he just needs a little time to collect his thoughts and make up his mind.
Form positive self-preservation attitudes and motivation for regular and timely dental examinations. Try to instill a love for beautiful snow-white teeth, an even smile, and fresh breath. When all this is valuable to the child, he will want to take care of his oral health.
Don't refuse support. By law, the parent has the right to be in the office during the procedure. Don't neglect it. In your society, the teenager will feel protected, and, therefore, everything will go more smoothly.

Well, and, of course, one cannot fail to mention the role of a specialist. He must have quite a wealth of practical experience in order to be able to win over a young patient and gain his trust.

How to overcome dental phobia

If you don’t know what to do in a situation where a child is afraid of the dentist, then you should listen to a number of expert advice:

Start visiting the dentist from the first year of life. Do not think that only molars require treatment. After all, the subsequent formation of molars depends on the correct development of baby teeth. It is important to monitor the condition of the oral cavity from the first days of birth. Therefore, you will need dental consultations from the cradle. And in the future, you won’t have to solve the problem of how not to be afraid of the dentist for children. After all, your baby will perceive the doctor as an assistant and adviser.
Do not focus your child's attention on visiting the doctor. You should not once again remind your child that a visit to the doctor is scheduled for a specific date. It’s better to check it out during your next walk. The effect of surprise will allow the baby not to fully understand what is happening and not feel fear.
Choose the right time for your visit. If you decide to come to the doctor early, waking up your baby earlier than usual. Or made an appointment during your lunch nap. If a visit to the doctor is planned instead of a trip to the zoo or entertainment center. If you had to postpone your long-awaited trip to the sea for a scheduled visit to the doctor. Be prepared that your child will develop a negative attitude towards such an event.
Consider a reward system. Some parents, when looking for a solution to the situation of what to do if their child is afraid to have their teeth treated, resort to the option of placating their child with expensive purchases. However, this is not recommended, since on the one hand, a strong perception is formed that you can only get what you want by going to the doctor’s office. On the other hand, for a child such a visit is associated with additional stress. After all, he understands that parents will not just give money or gifts. This means that serious “tests” await him in the doctor’s office. It is better to suggest that after a visit to the dentist, take a walk to your favorite park, go on rides, and get some kind of souvenir in the doctor’s office. Such a visit should be associated with positive emotions and the exclusivity of the event.
Set an example. It is important to remember that visiting the dentist for preventive purposes is recommended not only in childhood. Parents should also visit a doctor. And you can do this together with your son or daughter. Show that mom and dad also go for preventive examinations. This will relieve unnecessary fears and allow the baby to feel like an adult, which is very important at the stage of growth and development.
Accompany your child. Do not leave your child alone in the doctor's office. This applies not only to situations where a tooth needs to be filled or pulled out. Be present during every appointment. This will allow the baby to feel supported and gain confidence.

Turn your visit to the dentist into a game. You can take your favorite toys with you or buy a children's set of oral hygiene tools. Continue the game at home so that the child at the dentist’s appointment does not think about the treatment process, but perceives what is happening as part of the exciting activities.
Tell stories. Buy books where the kind Aibolit helps the heroes cure their bad teeth, or the Tooth Fairy grants wishes and gives amazing miracles. Let your child become the hero of one of these fairy tales during a visit to the dentist.
Find options to shift your attention. Ask the doctor to turn on an interesting cartoon, or tell a fairy tale or funny story yourself while the baby is in the dentist’s chair.
Visit one doctor. Let your child get used to the doctor. After all, by trusting a child will be able to cope with fear faster.

Talk to your child. Explain to your child why to visit the dentist. Tell us that if you regularly check the condition of your oral cavity, you can avoid caries and the need to remove a tooth. Motivate your child for preventive examinations that will maintain oral health.
Schedule an orientation visit. There is no need to wait until your teeth hurt or your bite needs correction. It is better to include a visit to the dentist in the plan of important events without any special reason. In this case, the child’s first visit to the dentist will not leave associations with pain and other unpleasant manipulations in his psyche. After all, it will just be an inspection. And subsequent visits will form a clear understanding that visiting the dentist is a habitual activity that is not associated with painful sensations.
Build independence. Encourage your child to manage his or her own schedule for visiting the doctor's office. Explain why this needs to be done every six months. This way, the baby will be able to feel like an adult who has been entrusted with the responsibility for monitoring his health.
Don't cause problems. For parents, this advice should be basic. After all, it is not at all necessary to wait until the child begins to complain of toothache or the problem arises of the need for professional teeth cleaning, bite correction, milk tooth removal, or gum treatment. It is better to prevent problems and eliminate them at an early stage. And then you won’t have to think about the question of why children are afraid of the dentist. After all, a visit to the doctor will become as common as visiting a kindergarten, a visit to a hairdresser or a tutor.

And, of course, look for your dentist. After all, if a child is afraid to pull out a tooth, then this is quite natural and justified. Not every adult is ready to undergo such a procedure without fear. But in the case when a child becomes nervous, irritable, and capricious before each visit to the dentist, then you should think about the qualifications of the specialist you are visiting.

Tips on how to persuade your child to go to the dentist and have their teeth treated

In conclusion, we will briefly summarize all of the above and formulate the main recommendations for parents:

If possible, plan to visit the dentist in the morning. If the visit is scheduled for a later time, the baby may “wind up” himself, become capricious, become nervous and whiny.
Do not escalate the situation before going to the dentist. Even if there are some minor problems and troubles, try to ignore them in order to minimize psychological discomfort. If the child is upset, this will only worsen his condition at the time of the procedure.
Discuss what procedures will be performed in the dental office. And then try to switch the baby’s attention to some abstract topics. This will allow you to wait for your appointment without panic and unnecessary nerves.
Take a responsible approach to choosing a clinic and specialist. It is best if this is a person who works directly with children.
Do not be nervous. Yes, we should not forget that a lot also depends on the psychological state of the parent. If you are tense and tense, the child will feel it and quickly move into the same phase.
At the end of the procedure, be sure to praise the baby and encourage him in some way. This will provide a good foundation for the future. If positive memories remain in your memory, it will be easier to decide on your next visit to a specialist. If the baby is overwhelmed with emotions, let him speak out and tell him everything.
Visit the dental office regularly. It is recommended to do this at least twice a year. Why such frequency? Firstly, it allows you to promptly identify and eliminate existing problems. And, secondly, it helps the baby adapt and get used to it.
Do not discuss treatment of your own teeth in front of your child. Especially if your experience was negative.
Do not intimidate a young patient with a doctor. A visit to the dentist doesn't have to be a daunting experience.

Summarizing all of the above, we can conclude that the psychological attitude is of enormous importance. Parents often use doctors (including dentists) as a tool of intimidation - “If you don’t listen, I’ll take you to the doctor!” This is a fundamentally wrong position, entailing a lot of different problems and difficulties. To prevent your baby from panicking at the sight of a white coat, you need to talk through and work through all possible situations with him. As a parent, you must explain why dental care is important and the consequences of not getting proper treatment. But this should be done softly and delicately; under no circumstances should you press. We hope that our article on how to prevent your child from being afraid of the dentist helped you find answers to all your questions and was useful!