Easing Children’s Fear of the Dentist

Between nine and 20% of American adults are afraid to visit the dentist. For many of these people, that fear started in childhood, often with a frightening, violent, or otherwise unpleasant experience with a dentist.

Children are resilient, true, but when helping them develop strong oral health habits for life, a patient, encouraging, and gentle approach is best. This is where our doctors and staff shine.

At Highpoint Dental Care and Implant Center, we treat our youngest patients like our own children, providing them with a safe and fun space where they can become comfortable with professional dental care. Playful and patient, our dentists and staff empower children to take care of their teeth and gums through age-appropriate education as we provide targeted services to address the unique oral health concerns of each child.

Happy Visits

It is best to bring your child to our office for his or her first visit around age three. At Highpoint Dental Care and Implant Center, we refer to these as “Happy Visits,” and gear them towards pediatric dental health assessments, parental and child education, and general dentistry services including light cleaning, fluoride treatments, sealants, and x-rays.

Our approach is both thoughtful and fun, enabling us to meet children where they are and help them feel confident and safe during their entire visit. Routine trips to our Aurora office also allows Dr. Baltz to carefully assess tooth eruption, presentation, and spacing to determine if orthodontic treatment will be needed as your child grows.

What’s the Problem With Dental Phobia?

Having a slight fear of the dentist is unfortunate. When it prevents you from seeking routine dental care, it’s downright dangerous.

Even the most thorough at-home routine cannot account for all potential oral health issues. Tooth decay and infection, bruxism, gum disease, and other oral health concerns can develop and do damage quickly. When left untreated, some of these issues can even contribute to systemic health problems including heart attack, kidney failure, lung disease, certain types of cancer, and dementia. You reduce your risks for these things through routine dental care.

Visiting our office every six months for cleanings and examinations allows us to detect early signs of oral health problems. In some cases, such as bruxism, behavioral changes may be all that is necessary. In others. Services including tooth-colored fillings, root canal therapy, same-day dental crowns, or gum disease treatment may be necessary. Failure to address these minor issues is a surefire way to experience more worrisome problems.

Free Nitrous Oxide

Nitrous oxide is a tasteless and odorless gas that produces a mild analgesic and euphoric response. It does not damage the heart, liver, kidney, or brain, and has no impact on heart rate. Largely considered safe, nitrous oxide is a good solution for adults and may be suitable for some children who are experiencing dental phobia. We provide this service free of charge to our patients.

If you believe this service would be of use to you or your child, please ask us about it during your initial consultation.

Contact Highpoint Dental Care and Implant Center Today

To learn more about our office, our dentists, or the steps we take to help every patient feel safe and welcome, call 303-617-9100 today. We are located in Aurora, Colorado and welcome patients from Centennial, Englewood, Commerce City, and all surrounding Metro communities.