8 yo Refused Dental Injection

[BaconAndAvocado]

DS2 went to dentist yesterday and no amount of cajoling, bribery, scolding made him lay back and have the injection for his filling . I felt like a rubbish parent! We've made another appointment for next week. Any top tips?

If he's getting really agitated what about inquiring about sedation?

You're not a rubbish parent. 8yo are hard work!

Talk to him!

Find out what the problem was; was he scared it would hurt, did he feel rail roaded, had he not understood what would happen etc.

It really isn't uncommon for a child to have their emotions take over in as stressful situation...and dental procedures can freak out the most competent of adults.

We had a long talk and the bottom line is that he's frightened of the injection hurting.

We've discussed the logic of it; that having the injection will stop any further pain.

He's agreed to having it done next week. Fingers crossed!

Me and DH have promised him a treat if he goes through with it.

Is it not possible to have it done without injection? I've had filling without injection - my dentist is very slow and careful and gives me s tissue to wave if it gets painful. And I've always got the option of asking him to stop and give mean injection if it gets painful.
Personally I don't find dental injections all that painful - more of a slight bruisy feeling but not too bad, but fair enough for him to be scared if he's never had one - they sound a lot worse than they are IME.

I agree that asking for the gel will really help. If the dentist puts enough on, massages the gum a bit and -crucially - WAITS for it to work I bet he'll feel hardly anything/nothing. The problem, in my experience, is they tend not to wait long enough for it to work. Fair enough for an adult, maybe, but not for a scared 8 year old, especially as you will no doubt want him to have a reasonably positive experience rather than be put off further.

The dentist did put the gel on. We never got to find out if it was effective!

The hole is really quite deep so I can't imagine filling it without an injection would be bearable.

Poor little mite! It can be a scary thought. I would in any case worry that attempting to fill without anaesthetic could result in further trauma if it turns out an anaesthetic really is required.

Could you dose him with nurofen beforehand? I do this. I have really sensitive teeth so my dentist recommended a few doses of a nsaid beforehand as a sort of belt and braces. I have to do this and use sensitive toothpaste before even a check-up and clean. Having had the painkillers beforehand might help your DS feel more confident it'll be manageable.

Thanks for that tip flumpty. Would calpol do the job just as well?

Get him to close his eyes and listen to music or a story or something through some headphones.

My sister had the injection and then refused the filling (40 years ago). The first and last time my Dad took us to the dentist. Hopefully all will be well next week.

I would think the kids ibuprofen would be better, my dentist reckons NSAIDs are far better than paracetamol for that sort of pain.

We had an amazing dentist, who managed to give DS injections in his gum without him even realising. He told me beforehand not to say anything like "it won't hurt" because just saying that would give him the very idea that it might do. He didn't refer to needles, or show DS what he was going to do, just chatted to him, "had a little feel" in his mouth, and the jab was done.

Well, it's finally arrived - D day (dentist day)

Thanks all for the top tips.

We are taking the ipad with some tunes for DS2 to listen to. I'm going to give him some ibuprofen an hour before, which the dental receptionist assured me wouldn't make any difference to the pain of the injection but, as a placebo, can work wonders!

He has promised us that he's going to have it done and we have tried not to make too big a deal of it in front of him.

He has been promised a friend to stay tonight and 10 packs of Match Attax (his idea!) if when he has the dental treatment.

Wish us luck

Good luck!

does he need an injection?
ime the injection hurts more than the drilling, so I go without.
agree with offering other pain killers if he needs it.
and talk to him about what needs to be done, giving him choices.
good luck!

Yay! It all went really well. Filling in!

He listened to his music and the dentist was so gentle giving the injection, I was so pleased.

He got his match attax and has his friend round for,the sleepover.

I feel such a sense of relief

Sounds like it went really well... Sets a good impression for the future as well which really helps!!
Hope he enjoys his match attacks

Thanks chocolate
Yes that's what we're hoping!
Match attax have been lovingly filed away in his folder.