Children are always afraid to look at their teeth. What should I do?

With the development of national economy and the continuous improvement of residents’ living standards, people pay more and more attention to oral health care and children’s oral health.

To the relief of stomatologists, even if the children do not have toothache, many parents take them to the stomatology department in an attempt to find the problem as soon as possible.

However, experienced parents know that taking children to see their teeth is actually a headache. In the clinic, children cry out for help, cry bitterly, play tricks on dental chairs, and do not cooperate with treatment, which is very common.

In the face of all kinds of situations, parents are not only distressed, but also very helpless.

How to solve this problem and help children receive stomatological examination and treatment?

Do you understand children who have to see their teeth?

Before introducing the method to you, Ding Ma needs to tell you first that children who are afraid of seeing teeth may have what’s thoughts and are experiencing what’s feelings.

1. Fear

When children go to the hospital, they will always feel afraid. Squeaking drills inevitably make children highly nervous and in a state of defense. However, in a state of inner fear, the feeling of pain will become sensitive.

Stomatologists see many children, as long as they lie on the dental chair, they are especially afraid. If you move a cotton swab lightly, you will cry out for pain.

In such a state, doctors cannot do any examination or treatment at all.

Step 2: Anxiety

[Something especially terrible will happen (and I don’t know whether it is what’s).] This kind of anticipatory anxiety will cause a series of physical discomfort to children, such as irritability, sweating, pale face, hiccups, vomiting and frequent urination.

This kind of physical discomfort is real, not [pretending to be ill]. Of course, if parents do not look at their teeth because of [illness], it will strengthen their children’s idea that [physical discomfort can avoid things they do not want to experience].

3. Behavioral resistance

In terms of behavior, they will show resistance and non-cooperation-in this way, [especially terrible things] will not come.

Specifically, [non-cooperation] is usually manifested as not getting on the dental chair, or not opening one’s mouth even if one finally gets on the dental chair.

In more extreme cases, children’s emotions erupt and their behaviors may get out of control:

    Impulsive type: crying, shouting, disorderly kicking, or lying on the ground to play temper, who will not listen to what they say; Passive type: don’t talk, don’t cry, but the action intentionally runs counter to the doctor’s request, reasoning, intimidation, have no effect.

For the sake of the baby, should parents do some what?

1. It’s okay. Don’t scare the children.

Parents should try their best to avoid such frightening words as [the doctor pulled out all your teeth] in their daily life.

Especially before taking your child to the stomatology department, avoid the following words:

    If you don’t obey, the uncle/aunt will pull out all your teeth later! If you misbehave when looking at your teeth later, the doctor will lock up the baby and never see your parents again!

Some parents may think it is a bit ridiculous to say such a thing. But in the waiting room, such words are really not uncommon.

It is really not a good way to give a child such a psychological shadow before he starts to look at his teeth.

At this time, parents should patiently explain to their children: the doctor just looks a little scary, let the doctor have a look, and then there will be no toothache/teeth will become more neat and good-looking.

2. Help children familiarize themselves with stomatology department in advance,

[Unknown] is the root of fear. The fundamental way to overcome fear is to turn [unknown] into [knowable].

Now information technology is developed, cartoons, games, picture books and stories can be found to help parents take their children to understand the contents of stomatology.

When reading picture books with children, role-playing can be used to help children get familiar with the environment.

For example, there is a picture book called “Crocodiles Fear, Dentists Fear > >, which tells us that crocodiles who are afraid of seeing dentists meet dentists who are afraid of seeing dentists. Moreover, although the two fear ghosts think completely different things, they will say exactly the same words, which is especially suitable for adults and children to play roles.

In the process of talking about picture books, the baby also has the opportunity to know what he will see in the stomatology department. Seeing teeth may experience some what [terrible things]. If he understands it, he will not be so afraid.

Step 3: Divert your attention

Parents can prepare some small toys, such as books, cars, electronic products, etc. During the doctor’s operation, they can tell children some other things or tell some small stories to distract them and make them forget the fear and uneasiness caused by treatment.

If the child has already established the concept of [number], then parents can use the method of counting to tell the child [as long as possible], which can also effectively reduce the anxiety of the child.

Some stomatologists will advise parents to reward their children with a small ice cream after pulling out their teeth and spitting out cotton rolls.

First, the ice cream is relatively soft and will not affect tooth extraction. Second, the ice cream is relatively cool and can relieve the symptoms of pain. If it conforms to the educational concept, you can refer to this practice.

Step 4 Minimize participation in the treatment process

Some parents, in the process of treatment, are caring and attentive and show more worry than their children.

Some mothers feel more nervous than children when they hear [have to have their teeth extracted]. This negative emotion will affect children and further affect the diagnosis and treatment process.

The correct approach is that once the doctor starts treatment, the parents will accompany the child as quietly as possible, or give the child some encouraging words, and try not to ask the child such questions as “does it hurt or not”.

If you don’t ask, it’s fine. If you ask, the child will cry in pettish manner without pain.

5. Don’t force children to have diagnosis and treatment,

Sometimes, children who do not cooperate with the treatment cry loudly. For the sake of face or mood, some parents are also flustered and frustrated, forcing their children to ask doctors for treatment.

It is irresponsible to speculate that the general pediatric clinic may do so. After all, a glance at the throat or an injection will [end the battle]. However, children’s oral treatment must not force children.

This is because the stomatology department’s diagnosis and treatment procedures are more complicated, take a long time and need more tools. If children are forced to carry out diagnosis and treatment, serious consequences are likely to occur.

For example, when dental cell phones remove caries, if children suddenly shut up and struggle, it is likely to cause soft tissue damage in the mouth (to put it bluntly, what poked a hole in his cheek); When filling teeth with cotton rolls to isolate moisture, if children do not cooperate to cause cotton rolls to slide into the airway, it may cause serious consequences such as asphyxia.

Therefore, the child’s active cooperation and patience with the doctor’s operation are the guarantee of safety.