As a parent, you can take steps to manage your children’s dental anxiety before it interferes with oral health. This will help ensure they have a beautiful, healthy foundation for their smiles from childhood to their teenage years and beyond.

1. Offer a Simple Explanation of What to Expect

As a parent, you need to tell children when they’ll be visiting the dentist and what it will be like. After all, just the look of a dental office and meeting a stranger can be frightening.

By giving children basic information about what to expect during their visit, you can put their minds at ease and make them feel more comfortable. You don’t have to go into complex detail because the dentist is trained to answer questions children ask in a straightforward, easy-to-understand manner.

2. “Practice” for a Dental Visit

Familiarity breeds comfort and this certainly applies to children and the dentist! For some children, dental anxiety is the result of not knowing what will happen at the office.

A great way to overcome this is to pretend play a dental visit. Have children sit in the “chair,” count their teeth, and hold up a mirror to show them how a dentist might examine their mouths. You can even encourage children to brush their dolls’ or stuffed animals’ teeth to get more accustomed to the dental routine.

3. Don’t Offer a Reward for Good Behavior

It can be tempting to promise children a lollipop, movie, or other physical reward for good behavior at the dentist, but doing so could actually make them expect a negative experience, thereby increasing their apprehension.

Instead of bribing children with a material incentive, offer verbal praise following an appointment. This is a great way to show that you’re proud of them and convey that going to the dentist isn’t so bad.

4. Explain Good Oral Hygiene

Kids don’t always understand why checkups are good for them, but they do understand tangible outcomes. For example, telling children they’re getting strong because they eat their veggies is better than trying to explain vitamins and minerals they won’t understand.

The same goes for dental visits. Be sure children understand that visiting the dentist will make their teeth strong and keep their smile looking great. These things can motivate them to want to go to the dentist (or tolerate it at the very least)!

5. Keep it About Your Child

It can be tempting to use your own dental experiences to put your children at ease, but you shouldn’t. You may have some dental anxiety that you don’t realize and could inadvertently convey this to your children.

Keep all of the attention focused on your children. Doing so will give them the confidence they need and reduce the likelihood of feeling anxious over their upcoming dental appointment.

Start Dental Visits Young and Start Them Right

Engaging in pretend play, providing simple explanations, focusing on your children and reinforcing positive experiences are useful tips to help manage pediatric dental anxiety.

Start dental visits at a young age between six months of age and no later than one year old. By starting visits young and starting them off right, you can create a positive early association with the dentist and avoid the screaming and crying matches that many parents accept as inevitable.

If you’re looking for a dentist in Williamsburg, VA for your child, Dr. Stensland and his team care for patients from 2 to 92. Bring the entire family and learn why Stensland Dental Studio has been voted one of the best dentists in Williamsburg. Click here to schedule an appointment or call our office at (757) 645-4055.

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After all, children receive fluoride on a regular basis from many different types of foods and even water. Through these sources alone, minerals lost due to plaque, bacteria, and sugars are remineralized on teeth.

So, is an additional fluoride treatment at the dentist necessary and if so, at what age are the treatments most beneficial? Read on to find out.

Why You Should Consider Fluoride Treatments for Your Child

While it’s true that fluoride found in foods and water can replace lost minerals, it sometimes isn’t enough to strengthen teeth and protect against cavities. In fact, if you don’t consume enough natural fluoride, demineralization will occur much more quickly than remineralization, leaving enamel at risk and causing tooth decay.

Fluoride treatments speed up the natural remineralization process, providing prolonged protection against demineralization and related tooth decay. They are particularly effective in children because they can reverse early decay while protecting permanent teeth as they develop.

Scheduling Your Child’s Fluoride Treatments

Children should start fluoride treatments at around 6 months of age and continue at least until they turn 16 (and ideally, beyond this age as well). Treatments vary based on age and also on whether they are done at home or at the dentist’s office:

• Drops, Chewables, Tablets, or Lozenges – These treatments are typically used at home for children 6 months and older who don’t receive enough fluoride in their water.
• Fluoride Toothpaste – After the age of two, children’s teeth should be brushed using a pea-sized amount of toothpaste with fluoride.
• Fluoride Varnish – Once baby teeth have appeared, children should have a fluoride varnish applied to protect against tooth decay. Typically, varnishes are applied by a dentist twice per year for children two and older.
• Gels and Foams – As children get older, a dentist commonly applies gel or foam fluoride treatments using a mouth guard. This typically takes about five minutes.
• Mouth Rinses – A fluoride mouth rinse may be prescribed for children over 6 years of age who are at risk for tooth decay due to genetics or other factors. A mouth rinse is typically used in combination with other fluoride treatments.

Special Tip: Does your child struggle with dental anxiety? Learn how to manage it before your next appointment.

Protecting Your Child from Too Much Fluoride

The most common concern about fluoride treatments is that large amounts can be toxic to the brain, bones, kidney, and thyroid. However, products intended for home use have extremely low levels of fluoride, meaning that you generally don’t have to worry.

Still, there are precautions you can take to ensure you’re not only keeping potentially dangerous products away from children, but also using fluoride properly:

• Store any fluoride supplements or products out of reach of young children.
• Use limited amounts of fluoridated toothpaste on a child’s toothbrush.
• Don’t allow children to use fluoridated toothpaste without supervision until the age of 6.

Fluoride Treatments Play a Vital Part in Your Child’s Smile

Although some parents view fluoride skeptically, professional treatments are integral to your child’s smile starting at 2 years of age.

By doing your part at home and scheduling regular appointments, you can help prevent cavities and give children the strong teeth they need both now and in the future. If you are looking for a dentist in Williamsburg, VA to treat your family, click here take a look at our certified patient reviews or click here to get in touch with us.

Sources:

• Dental Health and Fluoride Treatment. (2014, October 9). Retrieved on June 3, 2015 from http://www.webmd.com/oral-health/guide/fluoride-treatment
• Guideline on Fluoride Therapy. (2014). Retrieved June 3, 2015 from http://www.aapd.org/media/Policies_Guidelines/G_fluoridetherapy.pdf
• Reinberg. S. (2014, May 6). Docs Should Give Toddlers Fluoride Treatments: Panel. Retrieved on June 3, 2015 from http://www.webmd.com/parenting/news/20140506/doctors-should-give-toddlers-fluoride-treatments-us-task-force

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To help ensure a great visit (and make them want to come back), we’ve put together the following dos and don’ts for parents.

Dos

• Tell your child that seeing the dentist is a part of good, healthy habits.
• Explain that everything we do is for her health.
• Remind your child of the appointment the day before and express how excited you are to take him/her.
• Explain to your child that sometimes people get cavities even if he/she has done everything right.
• If your child needs a procedure, remind him/her that the dentist went to a special school to learn how to fix teeth

The day before the visit, let your child know that he/she will be going to the dentist the next morning. If your child asks a specific question, reply with, “That’s a great question; you should ask Dr. Steve at your appointment.” This encourages your child to interact and build trust with Dr. Steve.

It’s beneficial to get your child into the dentist’s office at a young age. We recommend starting at age one to get them familiar with the environment (we call this a “happy” visit). By age three, after a few “happy visits”, your child will be comfortable enough to allow us to clean and treat his/her teeth.

Don’ts

Try to avoid telling your child any of the following things before his/her appointment:

• The dentist will hurt.
• The dentist will give you a shot.
• The dentist will yank out your teeth.
• Fluoride tastes terrible.
• I hate going to the dentist.

While joking with your child can be fun, negative teasing builds anxiety. To reduce your child’s stress, it’s important to reassure your child that the visit to the dentist is routine and a part of good dental health.

We advise avoiding words like shot, drill, pull, yank or any other negative words when talking about the dentist. We use words that are pleasant and unintimidating to make sure your child is comfortable with the treatments he/she receives.

Also, you should tell your child that we have a fun playroom with trains, puzzles, video games, mega blocks, and other toys. Make your child excited to see us!

Once your child is in our office, we handle the rest. We take pride in ensuring our patients have a positive, comfortable experience, even in the most stressful procedures! If you have any questions about your child’s first or next visit to our office, give us a call at (757) 645-4055 or send us an email by clicking here. We look forward to seeing you and your child soon!

The post How to Calm Children at the Dentist appeared first on Stensland Dental Studio.

To help ensure a great visit (and make them excited to come back), we’ve put together the following dos and don’ts for parents.

What to Say and Do

• Tell your child that going to see the dentist is part of good health habits
• Explain that everything we do is to help take care of his/her mouth
• Remind your child of the appointment the day before and express how excited you are to take him/her
• Tell your child that sometimes people can get a cavity even if he/she has done everything right
• If your child needs treatment, remind him/her that the dentist went to a special school to learn how to take good care of teeth

On the day before the visit, simply let your child know that he/she will be going to the dentist the next morning. If your child asks a specific question, simply reply with, “That’s a great question. You should ask Dr. Steve at your appointment.” This encourages your child to interact with Dr. Steve and take an active role in the visit. It’s beneficial to start taking your child to the dentist at an early age. We recommend starting at age 1 just to get them familiar with the environment (we call this a “happy” visit). Then by age 3, after experiencing a couple of “happy visits”, we are usually able to do a cleaning and other treatment as needed.

What Not To Say or Do

Try to avoid telling your child any of the following things before his/her appointment:

• The dentist will hurt.
• The dentist is going to give you a shot.
• We are going to yank out your teeth.
• Fluoride tastes horrible.
• I hate going to the dentist.

While sometimes it may be okay to joke around with your child, negative teasing builds anxiety. To reduce the stress, it’s important to reassure your child the visit to the dentist is routine and part of good dental health.

It’s best to avoid words like shot, drill, pull, yank or any other negative words. We use words that are pleasant and non-frightening to make sure your child is comfortable with the treatments he/she receives.

You may also want to tell your child that we’ve got a great playroom – complete with trains, puzzles, video games, mega blocks, and other toys. Our playroom is always a big hit with the kiddos!

Once your child is in our office, we’ll handle all the rest. Our staff takes pride in making sure each and every patient has a positive experience, even in the most stressful situations. If you have any questions about your child’s first or next visit to our office, be sure to give us a call at (757) 645-4055 or send us an email by clicking here. We look forward to seeing you and your child soon!

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What to Expect at Your Child’s First Dental Visit

Kids love our waiting room! We keep our playroom stocked with building blocks, trains, puzzles, and video games so your little one can have fun while she waits. Once inside our comfortable exam rooms, Dr. Stensland will inspect your child’s teeth. If he identifies areas where demineralization, the first stage of tooth decay, has occurred, he may want to place sealants on the affected teeth. Made of a thin layer of protective plastic, dental sealants help protect your child’s enamel from further decay. Dr. Stensland will also gently brush her teeth. Finally, he will apply a fruity-flavored fluoride treatment to your little one’s teeth to help strengthen the enamel.

The Importance of Choosing a Kid Friendly Dentist

Children’s visits to the dentist serve two primary purposes. First, an experienced children’s dentist can identify the early signs of problems such as demineralization, cavities, and gum disease. He can also recognize crowding, spacing, and bite issues that may necessitate orthodontic therapy in the future. Second, regular visits to a friendly dentist in an upbeat office environment help your child build positive associations with taking care of her teeth. We also understand that many young children might feel nervous about what might happen during an appointment. We treat our anxious young patients with compassion and respect so they can feel at ease throughout the visit.

Helping Your Child Feel Good About Visiting the Dentist

We see your child’s oral health as a team effort. We work with parents and children in the office, and we encourage parents to work with their children at home. Helping your child feel excited about visiting the dentist can involve something as easy as watching a fun video online or reading a book about all the things that happen during a trip to the dentist. You can even enlist older siblings to help build a sense of excitement and wonder. We promise to do our part by creating a positive environment where children can feel as comfortable asking questions as they do playing with blocks in the playroom.

Schedule an Appointment with Your Williamsburg Dentist

Dr. Steve Stensland and the Stensland Dental Studio team have the clinical experience and caring chair side manner that both parents and children can appreciate. To schedule your child’s next visit to Stensland Dental Studio, call us at (757) 645-4055. Our 23188 dentist office proudly provides dental services to the entire Williamsburg, VA community.

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