Tips to Prevent Dentophobia in Children Since Early

Children are generally afraid of going to the dentist for dental treatment or just routine dental checkups. Even though maintaining healthy teeth from an early age can support the growth and development of children. Fear of dentists at an early age, if left alone for too long, can get worse to cause an excessive fear of dentists or dental care which is called Dentophobia. Before that happens, parents should make various efforts to prevent Dentophobia in children. In this article, we will discuss the causes of childrens fear of dentists, their symptoms, and how to prevent and overcome them.

Dentophobia is included in a specific type of phobia in which a person has an excessive and irrational fear of dentists. Anyone can experience this phobia, both children and adults, making dentophobia a fairly common phobia. Therefore, dentophobia is related to an exaggerated fear of doctors (iatrophobia) and an exaggerated fear of needles (trypanophobia). In fact, Dentophobia is not as simple as an excessive or irrational fear of dentists alone, because this condition can be classified into several more specific types, namely, fear of dentists, fear of needles, fear of pain, fear of smell and taste, fear to the sensation of numbness, fear of anesthesia. As mentioned in various types of dentophobia, an excessive fear of the dentist can be caused by bad experiences with dentists and their procedures, especially bad experiences at the dentist as a child. This bad dental treatment experience will cause deep trauma, causing fear of the dentist, which if left alone will continue into adulthood, and this fear can even develop into a more severe fear of dentists and matters related to dentistry. dental care.

Several things can be done to prevent Dentophobia in children, including:

• Introducing children to dentists and some of the equipment commonly used by dentists from an early age, so that children are accustomed to dental tools and dental care. Currently there are many special programs for children about dentists on the internet that children can watch.

• Educating children about the importance of caring for dental health from an early age, one of the most effective ways is to brush their teeth together before going to bed.

• Accompany your child during dental treatment so that your child will feel safe and not afraid of the dentist and dental treatment.

• Choose a dental clinic that provides special facilities to relieve anxiety, and is child-friendly. This will provide a pleasant experience for children in childhood so that it can prevent the emergence of a traumatic experience at the dentist so that it becomes an excessive fear of dentists and has the potential to become Dentophobia. 

Creating a pleasant and memorable dental care experience for children is very important, therefore dental clinics are currently paying special attention to the patients mental health in order to achieve well-being for optimal dental care. Dental clinic managers and dentists design facilities specifically designed to create a good and enjoyable dental care experience, in addition to relieving patient stress, especially pediatric patients, during dental treatment. The facilities include color, clinic atmosphere, diversion of patient stress, reducing patient stress, to aromatherapy and soothing music. Color plays an important psychological role for patients, blue, green, white have a calming effect on patients. BIA (Bali Implant Aesthetic) Dental Center is a dental clinic with an interior design dominated by blue, which gives a calming impression and relieves patient anxiety when entering the dental clinic or while waiting for their turn for treatment. In addition, several special facilities at the BIA (Bali Implant Aesthetic) Dental Center are designed to support the mental health of patients, including;

• Design of chairs and sofas that are comfortable and not rigid which can make patients feel more comfortable and calm while waiting in the clinic

• General music to create a relaxed atmosphere in the waiting room of the clinic, and in the dental treatment room. Music plays an important role in reducing patient anxiety, soothing music can make patients more able to control their anxiety during dental treatment.

• You can watch Smart TV in the dental treatment room during dental treatment. Fear of dental treatment usually arises from the sound of dental equipment, or syringes, by watching TV during treatment. Your attention will be diverted from what you are watching, so that anxiety can be overcome.

• Bluetooth headphones can drown out the sound of burs and dental tools during dental treatment. The patients fear during dental treatment usually arises because of the noise from the dental bur, for example the sound of a scaling machine or other dental equipment. You can also ask to play your favorite song while the dental treatment is being carried out. Listening to your favorite music can reduce ones anxiety and make ones mood better. 

• Aromatherapy can relieve anxiety. The aroma of chamomile and lavender is commonly used to help provide a calming effect. 

• Reading books or comics can be a distraction for childrens anxiety. By reading books or comics while waiting for their turn for dental treatment, children can feel more relaxed and accustomed to the atmosphere of the dental clinic.

• Stress Ball is used to control a patients anxiety during dental treatment. According to The American Institute of Stress, squeezing a stress ball can release a kind of energy that will relax you. Squeezing a stress ball can also relieve arthritis and strengthen the muscles in the wrists and hands.

• Blankets can be used to warm the patients body during dental treatment. When anxious or stressed because of fear, a person tends to experience a decrease in body temperature. You can ask for a blanket to warm your body and give a relaxing effect during dental treatment.

Awareness of mental health must be increased, and if you realize that you or the people around you have a mental disorder, then immediately contact your doctor to get the right treatment. Trauma in childhood can develop into excessive fear or phobia, so it must be treated immediately. The quicker it is treated, the more optimal mental disorders can be treated. Providing a pleasant dental care experience for children is very important to prevent children from Dentophobia. BIA (Bali Implant Aesthetic) Dental Center is committed to maintaining doctor-patient mental health for mutual well-being and comfort. Have your teeth and mouth health checked at least once every 6 months at the best dental clinic you trust. BIA (Bali Implant Aesthetic) Dental Center is a dental clinic with experienced dentists in their fields. BIA (Bali Implant Aesthetic) Dental Center is equipped with the latest technology to enable its patients to get the best dental care, comes with predominant shades of blue which makes patients feel more comfortable and calm while waiting in line. The dental treatment room with a beach view and clear blue sky will make you feel calmer and more relaxed during your dental treatment. BIA (Bali Implant Aesthetic) Dental Center is a trusted dental clinic near Kuta and not far from the airport. Dont let dental problems ruin your holiday in Bali, if you are enjoying the beautiful scenery of Ubud and unexpectedly need a dentist, the distance from Ubud to BIA (Bali Implant Aesthetic) Dental Center is approximately 35 km. Trust your dental care to dentists at the best dental clinic in Bali of your choice.

BIA (Bali Implant Aesthetic) Dental Center
Jl. Sunset Road No.168, Seminyak, Badung, Bali Indonesia 80361.
+6282139396161

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Gao, J., et al. (2020). Mental Health Problems and Social Media Exposure During COVID-19 Outbreak. PLOS One, 15(4), pp. 1–10. 

Gloster, A., et al. Impact of COVID-19 Pandemic on Mental Health: An International Study. PLOS One, 15(2), pp. 1–20. 

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