Children often struggle to go to a dentist in Iowa City, Iowa, because they find them scary or for other reasons that may be hard for many parents to combat. However, there is a growing movement among parents to find high-quality and fun ways to make kids enjoy getting dental care. Though it may not be possible to combat real dental phobia using these steps, integrating these concepts into your child’s daily care may provide them with the protection that they need for their dental care as a child.
Find Healthy Snacks Kids Love
The biggest complaint a dentist lodges at parents is not taking enough care to ensure children eat healthy foods. Often, many children snack on sugary or salty foods that provide minimal health benefits and put their dental health at risk. This situation is more complicated than many may think and is often the cause of a broad array of different dental health problems. Therefore, parents need to take the time to adjust their child’s diet to use high-quality foods that are tasty and good for their teeth, like:
- Fruits – Foods like various berries, bananas, oranges, apples, and pears can be snacked on throughout the day instead of chips. If children don’t like them raw, create a smoothie by blending the fruit, or buy dried fruits to create a chip-like texture.
- Vegetables – Making vegetables tasty for children is a huge task. Try to integrate low-fat ranch and limit how much they can put on each vegetable they eat. You may also want to buy dried vegetables and use them to replace your average potato chips.
- Nuts – Although nuts may not be tooth-friendly if they cause cracks, you can chop up many nuts to make them easier to eat and snack upon. And some nuts, like pistachios, are relatively soft once you get to them, so buy shelled pistachios to get easier access to them.
- Teeth-Cleaning Foods – Many foods, such as carrots, help clean a child’s teeth and make a dentist trip less necessary. These benefits are only found when chewing them raw because a raw carrot’s hard texture helps to stimulate this effect. Other snack options like these are available for children, too.
Beyond these steps, you can also make food more fun by inviting your children to help you prepare food. You may not think that your kids would enjoy this activity, but most have fun hanging out with their parents when they’re young and like helping. If you can make them feel important, they are less likely to visit a dentist because they’ll enjoy making fun and may be more likely to eat items that they wouldn’t have otherwise, such as various types of high-quality veggies and fruits.
Participate in Their Dental Care
After you get your children eating healthy foods for their oral care, you need to make sure that they feel safe and happy going to the dentist. And the best way to approach this step is to make going to a dental office seem ordinary and healthy. You can also take several steps that make oral care a bit more fun for your child, steps that many dental care professionals say do wonders for a child’s anxiety:
- Reward Them For Proper Tooth Brushing – Give them a small toy or a snack that makes them feel better when they reach certain milestones.
- Compete With Them – Children love competing – and beating – their parents, and a simple brushing competition – based on consistency, not speed – can help.
- Use Fun Toothpaste Brands – Find a toothpaste option that appeals to your child, such as one with their favorite cartoon mascot, and buy it for them.
- Get to Know the Dental Experts – When your child feels comfortable with their dental professional, they are more likely to enjoy going to visit them or feel comfortable doing so at the very least.
Using these steps, your child can feel more comfortable going to visit their dentist and have an easier time doing dental care procedures necessary for their overall health.
Reach Out to Professional Help
If you find that your children struggle to feel comfortable at a dentist in Iowa City, Iowa, and you want to make sure that they are happy, please reach out to us at Classic Smiles right away to learn more. Our professionals have years of experience in this field and will do what they can to help you and your children. They can provide regular cleanings, various types of dental repairs, and even many surgical options that ensure your child’s smile is healthy and secure and that they are happy with their oral health.