How To Make The Day Of A Dental Procedure Go Smoothly For Your Child
Posted on: 18 September 2015
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If your child will need to go to the dentist for an operation or procedure, they might be anxious about their upcoming appointment. Anything that you can do to help your child get through a dental procedure with a little fuss as necessary will help. Here are five things that you can do to help your child have a smooth day at the dentist and recovery.
1. Check in With the Dentist
As your child's parent it is important that you protect them and help them through anxieties from any dental process. See what your dentist does to distract and help move a procedure along especially for children. If there are movies streaming on the ceiling or if bringing headphones is allowed, find out ahead of time so you can bring along devices that are okay to use.
2. Go Over the Procedure the Night Before
While it isn't a good idea to stress your child out more than necessary, make sure they understand how long their dental procedure will take and what will be expected. Take notes when your dentist goes over this information. Even if your child was present at the initial consultation, reiterate this information in case they were too distracted to absorb everything at the time.
3. Have Snacks on the Ready
If your child's mouth might be sore from fillings or oral surgery, it is a good idea to have food they'll like on the ready. Whether this is soup, mashed potatoes or smoothies, have this available to make your child less grumpy while they are recovering.
4. Let Your Child Have the Rest of the Day Off
If your child will be in the dentist chair for quite awhile, don't force them to go back to school with a numb mouth or sore gums. Show compassion by letting them take the rest of the day to recuperate. Dental procedures can be draining emotionally as well as physically, so don't make your child have to get back to their responsibilities without some rest.
5. Give Them a Present for Being Brave
If your child is really scared of dental procedure, let them know if they are brave that you'll do something for them. Whether this is buying your child a video game or planning to do something fun during the upcoming weekend, this will give them something to look forward to.
You might not be the kind of parent to spoil your child. If they are going to have a stressful procedure done at the dentist, it might be a nice time to pamper them. Sometimes pain and anxiety around dental procedures can be downplayed, so try to remember this is serious and that your child can use your help to get through the process successfully. For more information, talk to a professional like Michael C. Cordora DDS, PLLC.