When your child is growing, you take very good care of him/ her. You take him to the doctor, dentist and pediatric nutrition to make sure that he grows up healthy. However, at times your child may resist going to a doctor especially a pediatric dentist. Have you ever considered why? There is a phobia called Dentophobia, which causes the child to fear a dentist.

Dentophobia: Fear of Pediatric Dentist:

A phobia is an unrealistic and unseen fear of any particular object or event. The children who have phobias get nervous and anxious even they talk about it. Everybody is a little afraid of going to the dentist, whether the teeth are in good condition or there is some problem. However, some children have this feeling to the extreme. It is a rough estimation that 5-15% people have Dentophobia but the severity differs.

The Causes of Dentophobia:

A child having Dentophobia would feel embarrassed in front of others and avoid going to the dentist. He/she will make lame excuses to bypass the appointment that you have taken for him. There can be many reasons behind it but they feel ashamed to tell it to you because maybe he thinks that you will say that it is nothing. However, it is not; you should listen to your child and help him overcome it. Many causes result in Dentophobia.

• Although children do not fear pain, if it is the result of an injury on their body but they can be afraid of the pain that they cannot see as it is in the mouth. Children especially are scared of injections in the gums so they avoid going to the pediatric specialist as they think that it is necessary to use injection.

• Peers are also one reason as they can influence your child negatively. Many times kids just out of fun to scare other children, making up stories about dentists. Observations show that they end up listening to their peers and this affects them psychologically.

• In certain situations, children feel ashamed as their teeth decay or the condition of the mouth is poor. All they want to do is evade any criticism.

• Prior bad experience with a dentist can also contribute to Dentophobia. Maybe your child had difficulty in breathing or experienced choking by numbness when you visited a dentist previously.

• Many patients feel uncomfortable when another person is too close to him. Well, you can say that is natural that you do not feel okay when someone is too close to you, but others have this with more intensity.

Reduce the Fear of Pediatric Dentist:

You can help your child to survive Dentophobia in several ways. It is not difficult and you should not think that your child is some kind of mental patient, he just afraid of dentists little more than ordinary children. You can help your child in the following ways.

• Many types of phobia are treatable with Cognitive Behavior Therapy. This therapy changes the thinking of the patient by talking about their feelings, emotions, and thoughts. When thought breakdown is complete, the therapist will suggest different strategies to apply in daily routine.

• Positivity is another way to cure any type of diseases or disorder. Your child will adopt your positive attitude because children copy their parents. Use words and expressions that will make your child feel relaxed and happy to go to the pediatric specialist.

• Appraisal has a constructive effect on the child. Praise the child rather than giving any reward will give them the thought that they can avoid the gift and the visit. Always tell them that the visit is unavoidable and it will help them.

• You can also consult your child’s dentist as he can enlighten you in this regard. You can go to Pediatric Dentist Tulsa, one of the many located in Tulsa.

Painless Pediatric Dental Services:

The most effective way to help your child overcome the fear of a pediatric dentist is by telling them about painless dentistry. This type of treatment eliminates the fear that your child has developed during the years. Several types of sedatives are safe to use on children.

• A very mild sedative is nitrous oxide or the “laughing gas,” and it is breathable with oxygen. It does not make the child go to sleep but relaxes them. Many can do silly things but it goes away in a few hours.

• A mild type of sedative is also ideal for older children. The child is aware and awake but he or she will do, as the dentist will instruct them to do.

• When dentists administer a moderate one, the child feels drowsy but can follow instructions.

• The pediatric dentist can administer general anesthesia so that the child can sleep through the whole process.

• Many laser treatments are also available so that the children can receive cure without worrying about them.

As you can see it is not so difficult to help your child overcome Dentophobia or fear of the child’s dentist. Simply you need to motivate them, keep a positive attitude and in no time, your child will happily visit the dentist.