If you have dental anxiety, you could be passing that anxiety on to your child. If your child hears you discuss fears that you have about your dentist, they may develop those same fears. When children suffer from dental anxiety, it can be difficult for them to receive the dental care that they need to maintain healthy teeth and gums.

If your child is suffering from dental anxiety, you can help them overcome their fears.  Here are a few ways to help your child overcome their fear of the dentist:

Avoid Talking About Your Fears In Front of Your Children

If you have dental fears, try to keep them to yourself. Speaking to your kids about the fears you have cause them to develop those same fears and insecurities about the dentist.

There may be legitimate reasons why you're afraid of the dentist, but try to avoid sharing those horror stories with your child. Your child may think that the same thing is going to happen to them even though the circumstances may be completely different.

Talk to the Dentist with Your Children

If you can, try to schedule an appointment for you and your child to speak to the dentist together. If your child see's you communicating with the dentist in a non-fearful environment, they may relax when it's time to sit down for their dental appointment.

Don't Go Overboard on the False Hope

When it's time to go to the dentist, try to limit what you say to your child. If you know that the work they're going to have done will probably hurt, don't tell them that it's not going to hurt at all. You may be trying to alleviate their concern. However, once they experience pain, they'll have a hard time believing you the next time they're just going in for a cleaning.

Censor Yourself

Being brutally honest is the opposite of false hope. Unfortunately, they both have the same results; an overly fearful child. To avoid dental anxiety, don't tell your child that they're going to have shots or that those shots are going to hurt. This will only give your child time to worry about the procedures. This can also create a situation where your child panics as soon as the dentist walks in the room.

If you have dental anxieties, your child may be experiencing them, as well. Help your child overcome dental anxieties by following the simple steps outlined above. To learn more, contact a company like Arrowhead Family Dentistry with any questions or concerns you have.

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