How to tame the worry dragon
The Power of Play and other behaviour guidance for children who are afraid of the dentists
Play is a vital part of a child’s global development. It is how children interact with their environment, build confidence and coping skills. Abstract thoughts are often lacking in young children which makes it difficult for them to verbalize their emotions. Children often communicate or overcome their feelings, like anger and fear through play. Dental fear is a prevalent problem encountered by many patients, especially in the children population. Anxious dental patients experience more pain and dissatisfaction during their treatment because their sensations are not only evoked by the dental stimuli, but also magnified by individual emotional and cognitive reactions.
Dental role play can be an effective desensitizing tool for selective patients who are distressed by dental treatment. It is a good alternative to pharmacological behaviour management techniques like sedation and general anesthesia, when treatment is not urgent. We often use this approach to acclimatize patients, especially those with special needs who need radiographic exams. Our clinic has witnessed many success stories in connecting the joy of fantasy with dental reality when it comes to routine care or superficial dental restorations. We welcome the opportunity for further explanation if you are interested in these unique behaviour guidance techniques we offer.
The play plan is not for every family with dentally anxious children due to its time involvement. It may also not be the first choice if the child has urgent dental concerns that have to be dealt with in a timely manner. There is a time and place for using sedation when it is too much for your child to cope with their dental procedures.
Indications for the use of sedation during dental procedures include:
- The age of the child – very young children do not have the understanding to cooperate for treatment
- Amount of treatment – young children may not be able to sit still for a long time or endure multiple dental appointments when their treatment is extensive
- Invasiveness and complexity of the treatment
Sedation not only enables children to endure treatment comfortably and safely, but it also facilitates treatment be accomplished in the fewest appointments (often 1 appointment). Since sedation tends to blur the details of the procedures for your children, it helps create positive attitudes and prevent dental phobias. Various levels of sedation can be used to relax your child during their dental appointment, ranging from breathing in nitrous oxide (laughing gas) to combining laughing gas with oral medication. At this moderate sedation level, your child can still respond but will be drowsy enough to tolerate the dental procedure.
It is important to note that sedation is different than general anesthesia in which your child becomes totally unaware of their surroundings. Sometimes, it is necessarily to do dental treatment under general anesthesia in the hospital, for example, in the situation of a medically complex child. If sedating your child makes you nervous, it may be helpful for you to know that not all the cavities need to be fixed right away. There is medicine, like silver diamine fluoride (SDF) which is a liquid brushed on a decayed tooth to halt advancement of decay and help delay filling the cavity so you don’t have to think about sedation right away.
If you little loved one needs help with their dental health, please call our office to schedule a consultation. We can review the different modalities and help you to choose what is best for your child.