First Trip To The Dentist and Preparing Children

First Trip To The Dentist and Preparing Children

We went to the dentist this week and for Raph it was his first proper check up. The dentist has bravely stuck his fingers in his mouth before but nothing other than that.

I booked an appointment to go at the same time, so I had my check up first.

Before going I had explained to Raph that we were seeing the dentist to which I got his usual question to everything, "but what does that mean?" I explained that just like in the episode of Doc McStuffins (Disney Junior Chanel, favourite program) when she has to work on one of the toys teeth then give them a good brush, the dentist will have a good look in your mouth and press on some of your teeth with a special kind of brush. He seemed pretty happy with this explanation so I left it there.

Once in The dentists room I took the first go and Raph just watched as I went 'for a ride' in the chair. He stood at my feet and I could feel him rubbing them. I don't know whether this was concern for me or him showing his uneasiness.

When it came to his go though, he was amazing! Really keen to get up and on the chair and happily sat back and let the dentist examine his mouth. He sat with it wide open and did not even flinch when the dentist then put the different tools in. All I got, about halfway through, was a little thumbs up showing me he was happy! He had a little toy in his had that he held on tight which I think helped as well.

At the end of it all he also got a sticker. So all in all it was a successful trip.

I feel that you should tell children what they are going to do in a day. A lot of parents don't because they don't want their children to worry, but for me, it allows explanation and it doesn't make an issue of something. I would never let Raph know that I am stupidly nervous before going to the dentist, because it is irrational. Its like all things that we fear, we shouldn't let children see those fears of spiders and moths or whatever, as there is no reason why THEY should fear them.

If I had taken Raph to the dentist and sat him in the chair without saying anything he would of kicked off as he had no time to prepare.

I am a fan of preparing the kids so everything is not so abrupt. I warn him at 10, 5 and 2 minutes before leaving anywhere and tell him to "Have a good play because we are going in ...... Mins".

I find it just helps prepare them as sometimes I think that children think they are in trouble if you just suddenly go. We very rarely have any kind of 'episode' leaving anywhere because of this.

This also works in all aspects of routine, lunch, dinner, bedtime, toilet training. Raph loves playing so he thinks he doesn't want food or toilets as it stops him playing. But preparing him by saying, "we are going to..........in......mins", he comes a lot more calmly and is slowly realising that taking 15 minutes out to eat a sandwich doesn't effect your play that much!

Post By Emily