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Connecting Fear with Dental Visits

Naturally, children fear unknown things. There are moments from the earliest parts of childhood where doctor’s offices can be unpleasant. Vaccinations would be one example. Once a child learns to have a fear response to appointments, anxiety can fester and grow to a point that seems almost unbearable. As parents, we feel our children’s fear and pain, but a new study confirms that we must be careful not to transmit our own fears onto our children. Scientists at the Rey Juan Carlos University of Madrid studied an association between the levels of fear in parents and their , noting that father’s have a particular influence on phobias.

Fathers, Especially, Can Set the Tone

The study was published in the International Journal of Paediatric Dentistry. Researchers collected data on 183 children in the Autonomous Community of Madrid,  between the ages of 7 and 12.  The fear levels between children and parents were interlinked with fathers being identified as the key factor in the equation. Fathers tend to have a mediating variable, and were noted to set the tone in families regarding fear of the dentist. Children tended to look to their fathers as their role model for emotional reactions.

Schedule an Appointment with Your Riverside Dentists

As a parent, you have the power to set the tone for your children when it comes their feelings about going to the dentist. Help them feel positive by projecting excitement over how great they’ll feel with a healthy smile. To make an appointment at our 92504 dentist office, call (951) 689-5031. We welcome patients of all ages from Riverside and surrounding areas.