Dealing with trips to Dentist

[WestYorkshireGirl]

Last time I took my daughter (nearly 4) to the dentist she wouldn't open her mouth at all whereas the previous two times she opened it very briefly for the dentist to look in. We are going again on Mon - any ideas of what I can try?!

Dentists usually have stickers - is that a useful incentive?

Seek out the peppa pig "the dentist" episode. Worked a treat on my ds.

Failing that bribe with chocolate buttons. (for after the dentist )

Just let her do what she's happy with.

ds went through a phase of this and Our dentist was brilliant, she gave ds a ride in the chair, let him play with the mirror, chatted to him, made him laugh etc. She never pushed him to look in his mouth and eventually he was fine.

Things that helped my dd1 - talk about the anticipated dentist trip a lot and get dd to draw dentist a picture to give the dentist on the day.

get dd to sit on your knee on the big dentists chair

let dd look at her teeth with a hand mirror while dentist tries to peep at her teeth. My dentist has a jazzy hand mirror for this, maybe put one in your bag in case tour dentist doesn't have one?

make a joke of how dd will dazzle the dentist with her sparkly clean teeth

keep relaxed and casual yourself, so she doesn't pick up any anxiety.

take something for her to do in the waiting room, colouring in or whatever she is into, to avoid her sitting bored and anxious beforehand.

hope it goes better next time.