When was your last dental exam? For many people, regular dental check-ups are not high on their list of priorities. The reason usually isn’t a lack of money. The reason is simply fear.

Why are we afraid of the dentist? There are many reasons. We often hear stories of bad dental experiences. Anything that sounds like a dentists drill sets us on edge. But why?

One fear often stems from our childhood experiences and of course the stories our childhood friends told us - and children love to elaborate - and the scarier it was and the braver they were the better.

As parent, one of our roles is to set our children up to live happy, healthy and long lives. Dental care is an important aspect. Good teeth, a relaxed approach to dental treatment and regular home oral hygiene all lead to a much happier lifestyle. In fact poor dental care can lead to a wide variety of health issues in later life.

So how can you prepare your child for a happier dental experience? The first step is to treat home oral care as a fun regular routine. Brushing can be fun - you just need to put the fun into it. There are novelty toothbrushes and there are novelty toothpastes - and of course rinsing can always be fun.

When it comes to visiting the dentist - think. My heading said it all. Parent often relay their own fears onto their children. If you appear apprehensive or afraid of the dentist, or use words like dreaded dentist, your child will pick up on this take on those same values.

Talk to your friends. Find a dentist with experience with children. Find a dentist that makes the dental visit a fun experience. Rather than denigrating the dentist, talk them up. Make the trip sound like fun.

Dental treatment has changed a lot over the years. They even use a local anesthetic gel before using a needle.

When planning a dental trip for your child - make it a positive experience - it is an experience that can have a life time effect.