Call us today on: 020 7580 5370
Weymouth Street Paediatric Dentistry, 33 Weymouth Street, London, W1G 7BY

Our friendly and professional paediatric dental team supports children who have a fear of going to the dentist.

Dental Fear and Anxiety in Children

Dental fear and anxiety (DFA) can make visits to the dentist scary for children and stressful for parents. This fear is quite common, occurring in 5 to 20 percent of children. DFA may come with physical reactions (crying or screaming) or psychological responses (panic) which contribute to uncooperativeness during dental visits and treatments.

Sources of Children’s Dental Anxiety

Research shows that children’s fear of the dentist can be attributed to:

  • negative treatment experiences with other practitioners,
  • the perceived discomfort of a procedure,
  • being around strangers,
  • or misinformation from parents, siblings or friends.

We encourage regular visits to our paediatric dental practice; it helps children become familiar with us and realise we’re not so scary after all. Our team recognises children’s fears and uncertainties, and we show our understanding with an empathic approach to both you and your child.

The Importance of Addressing Dental Anxiety in Children

The stress of visiting the dentist may prompt uncooperative behaviour in an attempt delay dental treatment. However, delaying treatment only contributes to poor oral health and more intensive treatment down the road. At Weymouth Street Paediatric Dentistry, we’re committed to making our patients comfortable, so they receive the oral care they need.

Our Approach with Nervous Patients

We’re proud to offer a calm paediatric dental environment with a friendly, patient-focused team. Children respond to our approach because we take time to ensure they are comfortable before a treatment starts. We take the time to tell children what they can expect from their appointment—including the sounds and sensations they will experience. With our experience treating nervous children, we’ve learned that predictability puts them more at ease and makes them more likely to tolerate a treatment.

Our Paediatric Dentists Tell Children What to Expect

Communication and trust with our patients is important to us. We take the time to talk to children, ask them why they’re afraid or nervous, acknowledge, and address those fears. In some cases, we may use a parent in a demonstration so a child can see what we’ll be doing. We’ll agree on a signal that a child can use if they feel overwhelmed, giving them the security of having some control. We show children the tools we use and explain what they do to ease your child’s concerns.

We believe helping children deal with dental situations, even though they are fearful, has a very positive effect on the child’s maturity.

General Anaesthetic for Nervous Children

For a select few paediatric patients, however, a general anaesthetic may be the most appropriate and safe way to provide dental treatment. A general anaesthetic ensures that your child is unconscious and free of pain during the dental treatment.

When considering general anaesthetic, our specialists consider a few factors and discuss them with parents prior to treatment. Age, development, or medical history indicate a child’s inability to sufficiently co-operate. This personal information and the extent of the required treatment help determine if general anaesthesia is appropriate.

When general anaesthesia is required, we operate at Harley Street Clinic and The Portland Hospital. Our team works alongside consultant paediatric anaesthetists and experienced nursing staff.

How Parents Can Help Calm Nervous Children

Our paediatric dental team does all we can to alleviate a child’s stress when they visit our practice. At home, there are a few actions parents can take to reduce their child’s fear of visiting the dentist. Some things you can try include:

  • Teaching your child relaxation techniques. Exercises, such as deep breathing, offer your child a way to cope when they’re overwhelmed and afraid.
  • Reinforcing positive behaviour. Small rewards, like stickers, can be used as an incentive to reward brave behaviour.
  • Being a role model. Children may inherit a fear of the dentist from their role models. Maintain positive and encouraging comments about your dentist and encourage them to ask questions about your experience.

 

   Our Address

33 Weymouth Street, London, W1G 7BY

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   Opening Hours

Monday - Friday

8:30am - 5:00pm

Saturday - Sunday

Closed


   Make an appointment with us today!