By Dr Mohit Tolani, a dentist at Dapto Dentists and a member of the ADA NSW

Carers and parents play a vital role in making visits to the dentist a constructive and fun experience.

Therefore, it is crucial that when you talk about the dentist that you use child-friendly and positive terms, like “seeing the tooth fairy’s friend” or “going for a ride in the dental chair”.

Whatever you do, don’t use the dentist as a deterrent!

Using fear as a tool and threats such as “if you don’t brush your teeth the dentist will pull them out” are unlikely to change behaviour but will certainly reinforce any panic. Also, please refrain from telling stories about negative dental experiences or using words like “needle”, “pull” or “drill” as this will only cause your child to become anxious and worried.

In the lead up to the first dental visit, you could ‘play dentist’ at home and count your child’s teeth and explain that the dentist takes care of our teeth.

Try not to go into too much detail; the dental team is well-trained to be able to talk with children. They will explain who they are and what they are trying to do at a level your child can understand and relate to. If you are nervous or anxious about the visit this can rub off on your child, so it’s best to stay positive and let the professionals do what they do best.

The 5 Don'ts of Dental Visits

1. Don’t tell your child to be brave (they already are)

2. Don’t bribe your child

3. Don’t tell your child that it won’t hurt (or it will)

4. Don’t use the dentist as a deterrent or punishment

 5. If you are very anxious yourself, ask another family member to take your child to the dental visit.