If you have a kid, then chances are you already know how difficult it is to bring them to the dentist. There’s just this fear instilled to every child whenever it comes to visiting the dentist, as most of their experiences are mostly filled with literally painful memories. However, there are things that you can do to make sure your kid won’t dread going to the dentist. Below, we will discuss a couple of things that you can do to make sure you can bring your child to a kids’ dentist in Herriman without difficulties.

Start Early

The earlier you start bringing your kid to the dentist, the better they will feel about it as they are growing up. They will most likely associate the dental clinic to their own home where all their needs are usually met. You should, of course, bring them to a pediatric dentist who knows how to take good care of kids and convince them that the procedure wouldn’t be painful and scary. You can start bringing your kid to the dental clinic as early as age one or when their first-ever tooth starts showing.

Do Not Use “Scary” Words

Most kids associate a few words with getting scared, and these words often include “shots,” “hurt,” “painful,” or sometimes, even “doctor.” Avoid using these words when introducing the dentist or the clinic to them, as they will most likely grow up getting scared whenever they hear these words. You should, instead, let the dental staff introduce a wide range of vocabulary to your kid so they will feel more at ease during the procedure. It’s okay to kind of sugarcoat your words and use different terms just to get your kid to get past the fear.

Play Doctor

You can try playing with your kid and pretending to be the dentist before the actual visit. Try making the experience as fun as it can be so they will look forward to the appointment. All you usually need for this is a toothbrush and pretend tools that you might need to show your kid what will happen during the visit. You can try making subtle drilling noises to imitate the sound of the actual dentist’s instruments, but you should also tell them that it’s alright and that the instruments are not scary at all.

Don’t Bribe

A lot of dentists are actually against the idea of bribing your kids just to make them go to the dentist. If you do this, then your kid will associate bribing with experiencing something scary or painful. They might think that something bad is going to happen, which is why you are offering them a treat in exchange. You can, instead, just praise them and let them know that they did great after the appointment. Tell them that that’s how they should always behave at the clinic.

It is important to instill good dental hygiene to your kid while they are still young. The younger you teach them, the more successful you will be with letting them know that their dental health is very important.