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Nervous about kiddo's first dentist trip - here's what helped me
My little guy was super anxious about his first dentist appointment, kept asking if it'd hurt or if the dentist was gonna use scary tools. What really helped was doing a pretend "dentist visit" at home with his stuffed animals. We took turns being the dentist, checking teeth, counting them, even making silly drill noises (lol). It made the real thing less scary for him. Curious if anyone else tried something similar or has other tips that worked?
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3 replies
"We took turns being the dentist, checking teeth, counting them, even making silly drill noises (lol)."
That's such a sweet idea...wish I'd thought of it! My daughter was also super nervous before her first dentist visit. We ended up watching a couple of kid-friendly videos about going to the dentist, which helped a bit. But honestly, what made the biggest difference was bringing along her favorite stuffed bunny for comfort. She squeezed that bunny tight the whole time, and it seemed to calm her nerves. Glad your little guy had a positive experience!
That's such a sweet idea...wish I'd thought of it! My daughter was also super nervous before her first dentist visit.
We didn't do any role-playing or videos beforehand, but I can relate to the comfort item thing. My son insisted on bringing his little toy car along...he just held onto it quietly the whole appointment. Sometimes familiar objects really do help ease anxiety. Glad it worked out for you too.
Sometimes familiar objects really do help ease anxiety.
Haha, reminds me of myself...I still grip the armrests at the dentist like they're gonna run away. Good call on the toy car - whatever gets you through, right? Glad your little guy made it okay.