A trip to the dentist can be painless

Press, 27 July 1987, Page 13

A trip to the dentist can be painless

By I

DESMOND SMITH,

8.D.5., D.D.H.P.

Although there are a few happy exceptions, for most of us a visit to the dentist is not something we contemplate with joy. Our worries probably stem from an unpleasant experience when were were younger, perhaps from someone else relating their problems, or just from fear of something that is rather unknown to us. Whatever the cause, the result is much the same. We end up avoiding the subject of dentistry whenever we can, and putting off the inevitable as long as possible. This is rather a shame because we could have a lot less mental trauma about it all if our first introduction to dentistry was a little smoother, a little less of an ordeal. Without realising it, parents often have the solution for their offspring in their own hands. We do not fully appreciate how strongly what we say and do rubs off on them. With the best will in the world, mums and dads try to reassure pre-schoolers before their first dental appointment with words like, “Don’t worry darling, it won’t hurt,” or “It may be a bit sore, but you be big and brave.” In other cases, the parents — who themselves happen to be terrified of dentistry — are careful to say nothing at all to the little ones. However, their whole being exudes fear, and nobody picks up body language quicker than a toddler. This makes the dentist’s or dental nurse’s job so much harder. The little patient is in a state before a relationship can be established.

If you have a preschooler and are nervous about dentistry yourself, for the sake of your child, try to do two important things:

1. Enrol him or her at a school dental clinic before there is anything wrong with the teeth. That usually means somewhere between two and years of age. 2. Make sure that your own words and actions do not pass on your worries to the child. For him or her it is a totally new experience, this dentistry thing, and, like all other new experiences, children need to learn about it themselves, not through someone else. Fortunately, the days are past when every second toddler we saw had holes in their teeth. If parents have been sensible with keeping sugary things to mealtimes and making proper use of fluoride in all its forms, junior should have a health mouth when first coming to the dental clinic.

So, there is really no need for the protective approach against the occasion turning out to be a painful one. Even if a filling is needed, the dental nurse or dentist can put a very

small and painless injection into the gums and prevent any discomfort All too often, the biggest problem with nervous, upset little children is nervous, worried parents. Try not to increase the pre-schooler’s burdens by adding on your own, even if it is done in a burst of parental love. Left alone, most little people cope with dentistry quite happily. But what can the adult patient, with already established fears, do about them? How can they keep their teeth and their peace of mind? Here the worries are usually more deep-rooted and of longer duration.

Nevertheless, there are several steps adults can take. The first is to stop thinking that you are different or cowardly. It is perfectly natural to be more than a little concerned with situations which are strange to us and over which we appear to have no control. Step two is to make an appointment with the dentist and then tell him or her honestly about your worries. If anybody will understand this approach a sympathetic dentist will. You will not be rushed into sitting in a chair, opening your mouth and suffering. Dentistry is not like that. It may have been a bit gruesome in times long past, but the modern dentist gives the patient every opportunity to express his worries, tell of his needs, and discuss comfortable ways and means of achieving them. Step three is to trust your dentist completely. If you cannot have that sort of relationship with your dentist, find another.

Word of Mouth