



Role of Parents in Child’s Dental Behavior
Healthy teeth are important in a child’s overall growth. To set your child on the path of healthy dental habits it is vital to introduce a dentist to your child right from a young age.
It is important for a child to start developing a comfortable bond with their dentist as it avoids dental anxiety. And as the old saying goes, the first impression is the last impression, the first dental visit is very important to set a positive impression on the child.
While certain factors to set a positive impression can depend on the dentist, parents carry the others. Parents can play a major role in helping their children get comfortable with the dental setup. Let’s look at factors that are affected by the parents
Effect of presence in the operatory
- The presence of a mother
The presence of the mother as a passive observer during a dental check-up contributes to a greater frequency of positive behavior in a child.
The mother is usually seated in front and to the right of the dental chair facing the child. This is a good location since it will usually allow the child an unobstructed view of the mother. - An older sibling’s presence
It has been suggested that if an older sibling serves as a role model in the dental situation, the younger child’s behavior can be improved.
Factors out of the dentist’s control
- The presence of a mother
The presence of the mother as a passive observer during a dental check-up contributes to a greater frequency of positive behavior in a child.
The mother is usually seated in front and to the right of the dental chair facing the child. This is a good location since it will usually allow the child an unobstructed view of the mother. - An older sibling’s presence
It has been suggested that if an older sibling serves as a role model in the dental situation, the younger child’s behavior can be improved.
Effect of presence in the operatory
- Growth and Development
- If there is a deficiency in physical growth and development or congenital malformations, like cleft lip, as awareness of the deformity increases it leads to psychological trauma due to rejection by society.
- Mental disabilities, epilepsy, and cerebral palsy, make it hard for the child to get used to a new setting. Here, the child may not react to the requirements of the mother and expectations of the society. Hence, there is a failure of cognitive development and therefore variations in the behavior are encountered.
- Also, a very young child reacts uncomfortably and the same response may be transformed into positive behavior, as the child grows older. Thus the intellectual age of 3 years seems to be that point in developmental progress that signifies a maturational readiness to accept dental treatment.
- Nutritional factors
- Studies have shown that an increased intake of sugar causes irritable behavior.
- Skipping breakfast leads to impaired performance.
- Nutritional deficiency also affects the milestones of biological and cognitive development.
- Past medical and dental experiences Any past unpleasant dental experience, prior hospitalization, surgical intervention and sickness, are associated with a higher degree of uncooperative behavior. Therefore the emotional quality of past visits rather than the number of visits is significant.
- Genetics
- It plays a very important role in psychological development. The genetic influence is again modified by the environment like there should be a constant interaction between the genetic program of the child and the environment for the psychological development of the child.
- School environment
- Fifty percent of the child’s development is affected by the school and the remaining 50% by the home environment.
- In school, teachers and peers help to influence the behavior of younger children. Also, seniors become role models to juniors.
- Socioeconomic status
- The high socioeconomic status child may develop normally because the family can provide all the requirements to aid in normal psychological development. On the other hand, this child may also become spoiled if he always gets what he wants.
- A low socioeconomic status child develops resentment and is tense as the child gets little attention and is often neglected. It can also directly affect the child’s attitude toward the value of dental health.
FACTORS UNDER THE CONTROL OF THE PARENTS
- Home environment
- The home is the first school where a child learns to behave. All the individuals at home influence the child’s behavior but none so much as the mother. The mother-child relationship has been described as one-tailed.
- The postnatal behavior of the child depends on the prenatal emotional status of the mother.
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Family development and peer influences
- The position and status of the child in the family and parental attitudes can influence the child’s behavior. Overindulgence by parents can lead to spoiled behavior in the child who may show sudden outbursts and temper tantrums.
- Internal family conflicts affect children’s behavior. The child can sense disharmony in the family and this can emotionally frustrate the child.
- The younger child always tries to follow the model of the older sibling and family members, thus showing the same behavior as siblings.
- Maternal behavior
- Prenatal influence
- Maternal influence on children’s mental, physical and emotional development begins even before birth. The somatic development of the fetus depends on the nutritional status of the mother.
- The neurohormonal system of the mother transfers emotions to the fetus.
- The postnatal behavior of the child is linked to the prenatal emotional status of the expectant mother, emotional stress during pregnancy can lead to an excessively active and irritable infant.
- Agents such as alcohol, smoking and drugs affect the child’s development if consumed during pregnancy.
- Postnatal influence
- The pattern of the mother-child relationship during early childhood exerts a profound influence on the development of the personality of the child and affects the way the child will respond to new or demanding situations.
- Acceptance vs. rejection, and autonomy vs. control are regarded by some as the two most significant attitudinal considerations of the relationship between a mother and child. Between these behavioral poles fall several gradations of mother-child interaction. Those which are important concerning the dental situation include overprotection, overindulgence, under-affection, rejection and authoritarianism.
- Maternal anxiety appears to be a primary factor influencing a child’s anxiety in the dental office. In fact, the subjective impressions the child garners from the family appear to arouse more fear than the dental experience itself.
- For young children, who still retain some of their innate fears and are emotionally immature, the presence of the mother in the operatory can have a salutary influence on behavior during treatment.
Let your child experience the best of the dental setup with Dr. Siva Nagini at Raghavendra colony, Kondapur.