My 6-year-old has a dentist appointment coming up next week, and honestly, I'm dreading it more than he is. Last time was a total disaster—he cried, squirmed, and we barely made it through the cleaning. We've tried talking about it beforehand, reading books about dentists, even promising a little treat afterwards (yep, bribery at its finest), but nothing seems to really help him relax.
I get it, dentist offices can be scary with all those weird noises and tools, especially for a kid. But um, does anyone have any personal tricks or strategies that worked well with their own kids? Maybe something simple we haven't tried yet or even tips on how to prep him better at home? I'm open to anything at this point because I really want to avoid another meltdown in the dentist's chair.
Totally get where you're coming from—dentist visits can be rough at that age. One thing that helped my daughter was bringing her favorite stuffed animal along and letting the dentist "check" its teeth first. Sounds silly, but it made her feel more in control and less alone. Also, maybe try headphones with his favorite music or audiobook to drown out those scary noises? Hang in there, it does get easier eventually...
