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Dentist Trips:

Many children are afraid of trips to the dentist. This may be because they have had a bad experience at a dentist's office, or simply that the whole process (the loud noises, the items being put in their mouth, etc.) is just scary for your child. Whatever the reason behind your child's fear of making a trip to the dentist, it is something that must be overcome, because they have to go to the dentist every year. There are a couple of things you can do to make your child's dentist trips as painless (and less scary) as possible. These include preventative measures, as well as others:

• Eliminate the need for many trips and pain during those trips—make sure your child has good oral hygiene. Prevent all those painful dentist trips by preventing cavities. Teach your child to brush their teeth as soon as they can understand what you are telling them, and double-check to make sure they are cleaning them properly. Of course, your child still may develop oral problems that require dentist visits, but preventing the majority of them can help ease your child's fear of the dentist.

• Start early—when your child is 8 or 10 years old the first time they set foot in a dentist's office, it's usually not good. There are several reasons for this, including that the longer you wait for that first trip, the more cavities and other problems they are likely to have, as well as it just being a new thing that they have never had to do before. This can add to a child's fear. To avoid this, start taking your child to the dentist as soon as they have a mouthful of teeth. Even when you feel your child may be too young to go, call the dentist and ask what age they begin taking children. Some dentists begin taking children as young as 2 (even earlier if they are having any problems).

• Pick the perfect dentist—some dentists specialize in treating children, and this might be the type of dentist to consider. They tend to be gentle with children, and they often have their offices set up with toys and other items that help provide a more child-friendly atmosphere. When your child goes to the dentist and they are able to play with a bunch of different toys, watch cartoons, and do many other fun things, it can help take the edge off their fear. There are a couple of different ways to do this. You can look through your insurance information to see if pediatric dentists are listed, or call your insurance company directly about it. Another way to find out what dentists are good with children is to ask around. Ask anyone you know with children your age what dentist they go to, how their kids act about going, etc. Asking around may be able to lead you to a great dentist that you may have otherwise never even heard about.

• Prepare your child—just taking your child to the dentist and sending them back to be evaluated without mentally preparing them is not a good idea. You should prepare your child as best you can for what will be happening. If they are just getting a cleaning, you should still tell them what they can expect. Not knowing what will go on can spark fear in many children, and the more you prepare them, the better the experience will be.

• Make it easier on your child—there are many ways you can make a trip to the dentist a lot more tolerable for your child. If the dentist office doesn't offer it, you can have your child bring a small radio to listen to. Eliminating the loud noises can help make the experience much better for your child. If your child will be having work done to their teeth, you can also make this a lot more tolerable. Buy nitrus for your child. This will eliminate the need for painful shots, which can provide much fear for children on a return visit. There are also many other things you can do to help ease your child's fear of going to the dentist, and you just have to be creative. Asking the receptionist at a dentist office what she recommends might help give you some ideas.

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