ORLANDO, Fla. (Ivanhoe Newswire) — Even though permanent teeth replace baby teeth at about age six, untreated cavities and tooth decay in baby teeth can result in crowded and crooked teeth later in life! If you’re worried about your child fearing the dentist, here are some tips to soothe those worries.
Parents everywhere know the struggle of making sure their kids practice dental hygiene.
Jason Bresler, DMD, Pediatric Dentist, told Ivanhoe, “As soon as a tooth erupts, we should start brushing their teeth.”
But it’s important to start young.
Mother Jennifer Flowers explained, “It was hard in the beginning to brush his teeth, very hard.”
Also, don’t use words like pain, hurt, or shots when talking about the dentist. Keep it simple and avoid adding extra anxiety to your child. Have some fun with a pretend dentist visit and let your kid brush their toy’s teeth, but don’t mention any of the scary instruments. And using bribery could backfire: if you tell your child “if you don’t cry, you’ll get candy after!” They might start worrying if they have a reason to cry.
The first study on dental fear in 1995 found that children who had a parent that was afraid of the dentist were two times as likely to be afraid as well. They were most commonly afraid of strangers, injections, and choking. So remember, even if the dentist makes you squeamish, don’t let it show!
Contributor(s) to this news report include: Hayley Hudson, Producer; Roque Correa, Editor and Videographer.
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