It’s common for kids to feel nervous about dental procedures, especially when they know a shot may be involved. Needles can be intimidating for children, and the fear of getting a shot may cause some kids to resist or avoid dental treatment they need.
Many adults have some fear of needles, too, so it’s understandable that a child may have a hard time with the idea of an injection at the dentist.
There are several ways you can help make these appointments easier for your child. Below, we’ll go over a few techniques you can try before and during your child’s dental procedure.
How Parents Can Help Before and During the Appointment
Keep Their Attention Away
Distraction is often a simple place to start. Talking about weekend plans, counting ceiling tiles, listening to a favorite song, or squeezing your hand during the injection can shift your child’s attention away from the needle.
Some children may also enjoy watching a show during their appointment if the dental office has a screen available. Before the procedure, you can offer a small reward after the treatment so your child has something enjoyable to look forward to.
Additionally, if you personally have a needle phobia or dental anxiety, it’s best not to exhibit that fear in front of your kids, who will quickly suspect there’s a reason to be scared.
Give Your Child Something Familiar to Hold
A stuffed animal, favorite blanket, or small comfort item can give your child something familiar to focus on while they are in the dental office.
Having a favorite item nearby can make the unfamiliar surroundings, including dental shots, feel less intimidating for some children. It can also give them something familiar to hold during the procedure.
Read more: How to Prepare for a Dental Visit for Children with Sensory Processing Disorder
Ask Your Pediatric Dentist About Injection Options
It’s also a good idea to ask your pediatric dentist about the injection techniques available at their office. Pediatric dental offices may use different approaches to make injections more comfortable for children, including options that do not look like a traditional needle.
For example, our office offers a pain-free dental injection option that looks a lot like a digital thermometer. This can be an option for children who are afraid of needles or shots and need a local anesthetic without a traditional-looking needle.
However, each child may respond differently to these techniques. Talk with your pediatric dentist before the procedure to discuss the available options and get a better idea of what to expect.
You can then work with the dental team to choose an approach that helps your child feel more comfortable during needed dental treatment.
Try a “Less is More” Approach
Because we offer pain-free dental injections, many children we treat do not even realize they’ve received a shot! So in this case, it is often ok to not reveal too many details that involve potential trigger words like “shot” or “needle,” and instead talk about “sleepy juice” or a special “wand” instead.
If your child is a little too old for the kid-friendly words, we get it. We still have painless ways of getting your child numb, so it’s ok to tell them “this dentist does things differently at this office. They are more gentle.”
Let us handle the rest as professionals; you’d be surprised how far we are able to get with your child without exactly lying to them about the procedure.
Read more: Here’s What to Do If Your Child Has Dental Anxiety
Know What to Do If Your Child Still Says No
Nothing is perfect or guaranteed, of course. Phobias are real. Sometimes, even after trying these techniques, your child may still not be willing to go through anything that could potentially involve something like a shot.
This can happen, especially if your child already has a strong fear of needles, a previous bad experience, or needs more time to become comfortable with dental treatment.
Forcing the issue, either physically or through threats, can make the next dental visit more difficult. Shaming your child for being scared can also make them less willing to talk about their fears. Instead, try to find out what specifically makes the experience scary for them.
It could be the sight or sound of the needle, the feeling of the injection, the numbness afterward, or dental visits in general.
Once you have a better idea of what is causing their fear, talk with your child’s dentist about what could be done to provide some comfort.
If your child has severe anxiety, sedation may be another option to discuss with your pediatric dentist. For some children, sedation can provide an option for completing needed dental treatment without a stressful struggle.
It’s important to remember that working through your child’s fear is always preferable to delaying needed dental treatment, as putting off care can lead to more serious dental health problems.
Helping your child become more comfortable with needles and dental visits now can also make future appointments easier as they get older and may help them feel more at ease with regular dental care into adulthood.
Our pediatric dental team strives to make dental care as comfortable as possible for little ones. We’re here for your family and have been providing pediatric dental care to families throughout Acadiana for more than 15 years. Give us a call to schedule an appointment or talk with our team about your child’s dental needs.