While the goal of dental prevention is to avoid future dental treatment, it is not always successful. As a result, children may present with dental issues, ranging from simple to complex. One of the biggest challenges in managing children is ensuring their cooperation, especially if they are not familiar with dental visits or the setting. If your child now needs dental treatment, the following strategies can be helpful.
Language Used to Relate to Their Treatment
Most children respond well to explanations about what is going to happen during treatment. However, it is helpful to reframe the language in terms they can easily understand. For example, instead of saying, “The dentist is going to give you a needle and it’s going to hurt just a little bit,” which might scare the child, you could say, “The dentist is going to put your tooth to sleep so he can work on it.” This makes the process sound less intimidating.
The Use of Happy Gas
Children generally have a short concentration span, which means their cooperation span is also short. The dental team may face challenges such as the child not being able to keep their mouth open for an extended time or moving while on the chair. To address this, treatment needs to be carried out quickly and efficiently. One effective method is the use of happy gas. Happy gas is a very safe method that can be incorporated into dental treatments. It provides relaxation, helps the child cope better with dental treatment, and allows more to be achieved during the visit. Most children respond very well to happy gas. In cases where a child needs multiple dental procedures, it is helpful to space out dental visits.
Management by a Dental Specialist
Most children can be successfully managed in the dental office. Occasionally, circumstances may require referral to a dental specialist, and treatment might need to be carried out under sedation. If a child simply refuses to be assessed, it is a sign that not much can be achieved, and it’s better to refer them straight to a dental specialist without delay. In such cases, it is better for the child to undergo sedation and have all necessary treatments done at once. Trying to persuade a reluctant child to cooperate is often counterproductive and results in unsuccessful attempts and an unhappy patient.