Discovering that your child’s tooth may need to be extracted can be a highly stressful time for you and your child. This is made even worse when your child already has dental fear and anxiety.

So how can you prepare for your child’s tooth extraction? We’ve got you covered.

How to Prepare for Your Child’s Tooth Extraction

• Make sure your child is really a candidate for tooth extraction. If one or more baby teeth fit the following criteria, then your child is a candidate for tooth extraction:
  • Cavities
  • Baby teeth that won’t move and are blocking adult teeth from properly coming in
  • Injury on one or more teeth
• See a paediatric dentist. A paediatric dentist has additional training for handling children’s teeth. They have the right size of dental equipment and can make your child comfortable and at ease. Their offices are also kid-friendly.
• Set the right expectations. This is the best time to be honest with your child. Say that it may hurt a little, but that the dentist will provide a medicine to make the spot numb. At this point, you have to decide what your child needs to know so as not to unnecessarily raise anxiety levels.
• Play dentist. Before the procedure, you can role-play to make your child prepared and comfortable with what is going to happen. Have some dentist masks, gloves, and even toy version of the dentist’s equipment to act out what’s going to happen.
• Promise a treat. While bribery is not really recommended, you can promise your child an ice cream treat afterwards. After all, a cold compress is what your child needs to help heal the extraction site.
• Be calm and positive. Remember to be calm throughout the whole process. Your child will turn to you for comfort. . Reassurance and sincerity is key here, as you child can easily pick up on any anxiety you may have.

At Battery Hill Dental, you and your child will feel comfortable and at home with our cozy office and friendly staff. Call us today to set an appointment.