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How to help your child overcome the fear of the dentist? - Walla! health

2022-02-16T12:07:36.730Z


A periodic visit will help in the early diagnosis of oral and gum disease and in keeping your child's teeth healthy and strong. If they express concern - there is something to be done about it


How to help your child overcome the fear of the dentist?

A periodic visit will help in the early diagnosis of oral and gum disease and in keeping your child's teeth healthy and strong.

If they express concern - there is something to be done about it.

Dr. Ofer Altberger, director of the First Smile Clinic, explains how you can help them overcome their fear of the dentist

Dr. Ofer Altberger, in collaboration with zap doctors

16/02/2022

Wednesday, 16 February 2022, 07:22

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There is nothing to fear.

Child at the dentist (Photo: ShutterStock)

Fear of dentistry (dentophobia) is prevalent among children and adults and leads to many avoiding getting dental care over time.

To explain this fear it is customary to divide it into two different types: The first - an objective fear that results from trauma or a bad experience that the patient has experienced in the past which affects him in every meeting with the dentist.

This fear characterizes adults born between 1960 and the late 1980s, when treatment approaches were characterized by high aggression and awareness of dental anxiety was less prevalent.

Many of those children who sometimes also experienced aggressive dental treatments without anesthesia are today parents of children who are themselves dealing with identical anxieties.



The second fear is the subjective fear that arises following an encounter with a person who has experienced some trauma and tells about it to another person.

So it is very possible that your child's fear stems from a story of his kindergarten friend who underwent dental treatment in which he was told he should be a "hero" and "strong".

Your child concludes from this that a dentist is a scary thing and should also be a "hero" when visiting the doctor.

Keep in mind that you too can create subjective fear in your children.

In this context it is easier to resolve objective fear but in order to deal with subjective fear one has to create a supportive environment and maintain positive and proactive communication over time.

More on the subject

Preventing dental problems from an early age: Pay attention to the gums

In collaboration with zap doctors

"Not scary", "Not hard", "Not painful"

In most cases children are afraid to go to the dentist due to fear instilled in them from the immediate environment.

In many cases we parents may also use scary words like "terrible treatment" or "excruciating pain" to describe our experience and thus we "contribute" to the intensification of the child's fears.

It is important to be aware of this and to know that the child hears, listens and assimilates everything he is exposed to, it is also important to know that a child does not know how to filter the information that comes to him and therefore must carefully choose words, describe You dealt with your fear of the visit, what powers were available to you, how the doctor helped you and what solutions he offered - so you will help expand the child's point of view and encourage him to locate his powers and find them within him.



In this context I will note that many studies have been done and sometimes phrases like “you need to be a hero” contribute to the intensification of fear.

I therefore recommend replacing words like “difficult,” “painful,” and “challenging” with other messages like “you are in good hands” and emphasizing the child’s strengths like wisdom, intelligence, initiative, and curiosity.

It is important to take care of this even after the treatment so that the feeling that will be etched in the child's memory will be good and pleasant.



In addition, I suggest avoiding the use of the word "no" - "not

scary

", "not

difficult

", "not

painful

" because people tend to forget the "no" that comes before the description and focus on the description itself.

Reverse the language - instead of "not scary" say "relaxing" and instead of "not painful" say "pleasant"

More on the subject

Smile for the Future: New Technologies in Dentistry

In collaboration with zap doctors

Do not say "no" (Photo: ShutterStock)

Create good memories with your child

We are all familiar with the recommendation "keep the good for the end" and so I recommend driving even on the day you visit the dentist.

For example, you can determine that after dental care you will dedicate quality time to the child, go to a movie or other family outing that will leave the child a positive experience.

If you yourself are afraid to go to the dental clinic, I recommend that your child be accompanied by another close person who does not suffer from dentophobia.

Remember it is not a shame to change a dentist if his way or approach does not match your values ​​and feelings.

Choose to be treated by a sensitive, understanding and fun dentist.

A doctor who will treat the child while maintaining a positive and supportive approach, for this purpose you can be based on recommendations and even come to an initial introductory meeting.



The author is Dr. Ofer Altberger, director of the "Smile First" dental clinic, which provides comprehensive treatments in the field of dentistry for the whole family while specializing in the treatment of people suffering from various anxieties, especially dentophobia. For more details, contact: 077-8052069

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Source: walla

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