If you are a parent, you are already aware of the fact that children tend to mimic many of their parent’s views and actions. That is why we have to be careful what we do and say in front of our children. If you have ever used the expression “do what I say and not what I do,” to your kids, you know what I am talking about. Therefore, it is not surprising that many children with parents who have dental phobia or fear and anxiety about going to the dentist also share these feelings. In fact, a recent study conducted in Spain and published in the International Journal of Paediatric Dentistry looked at 183 children between the ages of seven and twelve. It found that the greater the level of dentist fear or anxiety found in one family member, the higher the level in the rest of the family. This was especially true if the person with a dental phobia is the father.
As parents, we have a responsibility to ensure that our children develop healthy attitudes about visiting the dentist and develop good habits that will promote a lifetime of good oral health. This starts with helping our children develop a daily routine of thorough flossing and brushing and making sure they get to the dentist at least once every six months for a professional dental cleaning and checkup. You can help this process by selecting a dentist who is good with children and who takes the time to educate your children about good dental health and to make them feel relaxed and comfortable while receiving dental treatment.
You can also serve as a role model for your children when it comes to their dental health and their attitude about the dentist. You can do this by modeling good oral hygiene at home and by making sure that you stay up-to-day on your routine dental cleanings and checkups. You can also do this by not dreading your trips to the dentist. If you have a dental phobia, that may be a tall order. Therefore, it is important to find a dental practice that understands your fear and anxiety and offers effective solutions to help you work through your fears and anxieties: a place that provides a safe and compassionate environment for you to receive dental care. You might want to select a dental practice that offers Nitrous Oxide (laughing gas) or even oral conscious sedation dentistry.
Pure Dental Health welcomes patients with dental phobias and anxieties. Dr. Justin Scott is trained and certified to provide sedation dentistry in the comfort of our warm and friendly dental office. Sedation Dentistry enables patients with dental fear and anxieties to remain calm, comfortable and relaxed while receiving dental treatment. At Pure Dental Health, we want to change the way you feel about visiting the dentist and help you break the cycle of dental phobia in your family. Let us help you pass on healthy attitudes and behaviors to your children that will promote a lifetime of good oral health.
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