Does anyone know how to get your child to open their mouth?

[jetsetmum]

At the dentist...

Took DS1 aged 2.8 years for a dentist check up today, he happily breezed into to the room to see what this dentist was - then froze at the door.

Despite sitting on my knee, laughing at the chair moving, mummy showing him how to open his mouth, bribes etc....

He just wouldn't open his mouth..... Any ideas for a future visit?

Hi,

My daughter aged 3 was exactly the same. We got her an usborne book on visiting the dentist and used to read it to her before bed. When her next appointment came and she was saying that she was not going to have her teeth checked, we told her that sometimes when we have to do something we don't like it helps to have something to look forward to afterwards. With this in mind she was a complete angel at the dentist, my Husband and I just looked at each other in amazement. We took her to woolies and got her a barbie as a reward as she had wanted one for ages. The time before when she was petrified the Dentist said not to worry and just keep bringing her along. I think it is quite common.

thanks - forgot about the usborne books, sounds like I need to really big up the next visit in advance.

Get him to sing laaa-laaa-laaa in a silly voice? Works a treat with my dses at teeth-cleaning time, and now they open wide for dentist without any fuss.
There's a really good Harry and the Dinosaurs book about going to the dentist which helded us too. I think it's called Harry and the Dinosaurs say "Raaaaaah" or something like that. Ds2 loves it.