Managing Dental Anxiety in Children: Techniques That Work

Dental anxiety is the feeling of nervousness or fear before visiting the dentist or undergoing a dental treatment. It can range from minor uneasiness to severe phobia and can affect both children and adults. 

This anxiety is usually fueled by the past negative experiences at the dentist that would have been unpleasant or painful, general fear pertaining to pain, needles and drills and vulnerability or loss of control during the treatment.

At The Dental Roots we take this very seriously as it determines the overall outcome of treatment and patient satisfaction.

Managing dental anxiety is slightly more crucial and complex in children and solely depends on preparing them emotionally and making the environment friendly.

Our team tries to achieve this in phases- Before the appointment, during the procedure and post visit.

Building trust before the Appointment

• Parental Preparation before the visit plays a major role in reducing anxiety during the treatment. We encourage parents to talk positively about the dentist and the treatment to reduce doubt and incorporate comfort. Parents can speak to their children about their treatments, pleasant experiences shared by the elder siblings or cousins help instill a positive attitude.
• Pre- visit orientation- We do offer a quick, no treatment visit for children to gain familiarity. A friendly session with the dentist and introduction to dental tools and chair is quite helpful.

On the day of Appointment

• At The Dental Roots, we have designed our workstations to be child friendly with bright colors, soft music and cheerful illumination for better experience.
• Our Doctors and Child Specialists engage children in topics of their interest to enhance communication and comfort during the treatment. Age-appropriate communication is used to explain to children about the procedure. We use euphemisms to make treatments sound relatable and reassuring rather than scary. 
• Cooperative siblings and parents are sometimes invited first on the chair for quick check up to reassure younger children.
• Tell-Show-Do technique is highly practiced to explain and demonstrate the procedure on a toy or finger. We seek participation of children as well by asking them to hold the mirror, press the buttons on the chair or count teeth with us for better engagement.
• Positive reinforcement and praise work wonders for building confidence. We often reward children with stickers or small toys to acknowledge their bravery and celebrate their cooperation.
• We use gentle desensitizing techniques starting with simple, non-invasive visits and slowly introducing more complex procedures for later visits for children to build trust.

For higher levels of anxiety, 

Nitrous Oxide Sedation is proved to be safe and effective for mild to moderate anxiety.

Conscious Sedation is recommended for longer or more invasive procedures with proper monitoring.

After the visit

• After a dental visit, especially for children prone to anxiety, the goal is to reinforce a positive memory so they look forward to the next one instead of dreading it. This can be achieved by talking about the ‘fun’ parts of the treatment and avoiding replaying any parts that might have been uncomfortable. 

Our doctors are passionate about making your dental experience as comfortable and pleasant as possible so that after going back home, you and your child can have a positive debrief about the visit. This also opens doors for a more comfortable next appointment or follow up.

• Consistent follow-ups and regular, non-emergency checkups are advised to help normalize the dental visits. This also aids as preventive care.

At The Dental Roots, the team is dedicated to making dental visits joyful for you and your children and creating a harmonious experience because positive memories from childhood can shape a lifetime of comfortable and confident dental care.

To book an appointment with us, drop us a mail at enquiry@thedentalroots.com or call us on +91 8130750008.