PREPARING KIDS FOR THE DENTIST: 4 FUN WAYS TO GET THEM EXCITED

Regular dental visits are important for children of all ages. Visiting the dentist can be a stress-free experience if you take the time to prepare your child for the appointment. Here are four fun ways to get your kids excited about their upcoming dental visit!

Explain What Happens at the Dentist

Read Books or Watch Videos About Going to the Dentist

Visit your local library or bookstore and pick out books about going to the dentist. There are lots of books and videos available with fun stories and illustrations that can help prepare kids for their visit in an entertaining way! Peppa Pig Goes To The Dentist, Franklin Goes To The Dentist and Andrew’s Loose Tooth are good Choices.

Encourage Your Child to Ask Questions

Dental visits can seem intimidating if your child doesn’t know what is happening around them or why certain procedures are necessary. Encourage your child to ask questions so they can learn more about what is happening during their appointment and feel more comfortable in general. Make sure you give detailed answers too, so they understand why regular dental visits are important!

Reward Your Child After the Appointment

After each successful appointment, reward your child with something special. Some parents have a treat ready, a new toy or even a visit to the local Dollarama to pick out a treat themselves. An extra hour of playing video games can also be a reward. Whatever works best as an incentive to keep them motivated! Rewarding positive behaviour will also encourage your child to continue looking forward to visiting the family dentist for future appointments.

Preparing kids for the dentist doesn’t have to be difficult; use these four fun ways to get your kids excited about visiting the dentist! With enough preparation beforehand, visiting the dentist can become one of those activities kids look forward to instead of dreading every year.