Dental Anxiety in Children

• What causes dental anxiety?
• How to manage dental anxiety in children
• What are some signs and symptoms of dental anxiety in
  children?

• What causes dental anxiety?
• How to manage dental anxiety in children
• What are some signs and symptoms of dental anxiety in
  children?

Dental anxiety is when a person is really anxious and stressed out about going to the dentist to receive oral care. While adults can suffer from dental anxiety as well, fear and stress seem to be more common among children. Avoiding dental treatment due to dental anxiety is very prevalent in pediatric dentistry and, if not managed, will affect the child’s oral health.

Typically, the idea of dentists and dental work is reminiscent of all the pain and bitterness of tooth removal or injection for children.

While it’s not unusual for children to fear dental procedures in general, several other factors can contribute to this anxiety.

• Children who are shy or generally fearful may have higher dental anxiety. Plus, dental anxiety can be triggered by some health conditions such as anxiety disorder, bipolar disorder, depression, or schizophrenia.
• Previous fearful or painful medical treatment or dental appointments may prevent a child from visiting a dentist and receiving oral care.
• The dentist’s harsh behaviour and attitude towards the child may lead to dental anxiety, as well. Besides, the environment of some dental offices may not be as friendly or calming as it should be for children.
• Friends’ or parents’ stress and anxiety about dentists or dental procedures or their exaggerated description of their previous dental treatment experiences can also affect a child’s attitude towards dental procedures and dentists in general. Children who have heard or seen their parents’ fear and negative feelings towards dentists and dental treatments are more likely to negatively impression the issue.
• In most cases, it’s just the anticipation of pain they may have to tolerate that terrifies children and stops them from visiting their pediatric dentist.
• Parents’ socioeconomic status and their education level may sometimes contribute to children’s fear of dentists. Although no studies have not confirmed the issue, some people believe parents from high socioeconomic status and are generally more educated are typically less likely to have children who suffer from dental anxiety.
• The dental office is filled with various dental instruments that can easily freak children out and scare them. The fear of the unknown may compromise children’s sense of security and is another factor that can give rise to dental anxiety.
• Some research findings have shown that age and gender may be effective in a child’s fear of dentists; for instance, younger children and girls have shown more fear and anxiety about dentists and dental procedures.

Delaying dental care for children is not recommended even with all the stress and anxiety they may have. Children will need their primary teeth for several reasons, and putting off their dental checkups because of dental fear can cause dental caries and eventually cost them their baby teeth.

Parents or guardians can do things to help an anxious child who is not willing to go to the dentist because of dental anxiety or fear of the dental procedures.

Managing your child’s dental anxiety will be a lot easier if you schedule their first dental visit as soon as their first tooth emerges. The sooner you arrange your child’s dental appointment, the sooner they get used to their dentist and the dental office environment.

By arranging early dental visits regularly, you can prevent the development of dental anxiety in your child or at least manage the situation with more ease.

Furthermore, your child will have enough time to build rapport with their pediatric dentist and the dental office staff at an early age and feel safe and secure with the whole process.

Talking to your child about their upcoming dental visit and answering any questions or concerns can help them with their dental anxiety.

Explain the importance of having a healthy mouth and a beautiful smile and convince them that dentists are the ones who can help them achieve that goal more manageable.

It may help some children review the dental appointment at home and make them familiar with the overall process, but do not describe the details. Going into the details of dental procedures or making the sounds of dental instruments will do more harm than good!

You can even role-play to make your child more comfortable and familiar with the dental visit and create some enthusiasm or curiosity for them.

Avoid taking your child to YOUR dental appointments, especially if you have a major dental procedure going on that may cause you pain. Your child is more likely to develop dental anxiety if they see you going through any pain and discomfort during dental treatment.

Never describe the pain you might have gone through during a dental procedure in front of your children. That makes them create a monstrous character from dentists in their minds.

Expressing your negative feelings or fears about dental procedures when your child is around may cause them to equate dentists with the ambassadors of pain and agony.

It helps to create a positive picture of dentists in your child’s mind so they can trust them easier and cooperate better with their pediatric dentist.

A pediatric dentist is trained to address children’s dental and emotional needs and specializes in curing children’s dental issues. Furthermore, they are great at describing dental procedures in a friendly and non-threatening language to alleviates children’s dental anxiety.

Taking your child to a pediatric dentist can help you deal with their dental anxiety better because pediatric dentists know how to strike up a good friendship with your child by applying appropriate communication skills. Pediatric dentists are usually more patient and successful in gaining children’s trust and following the instructions during a dental exam or treatment with little or no struggle.

Anxious children terrified by dentists or dental works may benefit from their parents’ presence at their initial visit.

If possible and allowed by your child’s dentist, stay in the room while their pediatric dentist is checking up on your child. Staying with them during the visit can give them a sense of security and minimize their anxiety.

Children may show their fear of various situations differently; however, the following signs and symptoms are typically common among children who suffer from dental anxiety.

• Not being able to sleep well the night before their dental visit
• Crying, screaming, shouting, or misbehaving
• Headache, stomachache, or muscle pain
• Feeling tearful, aggressive, and irritated
• Feeling dizzy, possible fainting, or nauseated
• Having flushed cheeks, sweatiness, or over-heating
• Shaking or getting a panic attack

Children who have dental anxiety will refuse to refer to the dentist to have their teeth checked up or seek oral care if they require treatment. This can worsen dental problems and elevate their risk of developing a severe dental disease like gum disease.

Managing children’s dental anxiety will make them more comfortable and cooperative with their dentist and cause them to feel safer about receiving the necessary oral care. Eventually, it will prevent the need for more complex or painful treatments such as root canal therapy or tooth extraction.