It would interest you to know that there are people who fear dentists or have dental anxiety, and as a result, they avoid going to the dentist for check-ups. Dental anxiety is not so uncommon; however, it will expose you to the risks associated with avoiding regular dental treatments. Fortunately, dental anxiety is not so severe; it can be handled. Below are ways that will help you overcome your fear of dentists and dental anxiety. For more helpful tips or dental advice, diagnosis and treatment, you can get in touch with a dentist in St Albans.
Overcoming your dental anxiety in 8 ways
- Admit your fear or dental anxiety
When trying to overcome a fear or problem, the first thing to do is admit or acknowledge its presence. The same thing applies to dental anxiety. When you acknowledge your fear of dentists, it allows you to find out the root cause of the problem. You may be having dental anxiety because it was passed down from your parents to you or because you had a bad dental experience beforehand, and it left an imprint in your mind. It could also be a result of your fear of needles. Whatever the issue is, acknowledging that there is a problem will make it easier to confront the issue and deal with it. - Calm your nerves
You are probably anxious or tense because you always fear that something terrible will happen even before your appointment with your dentist. To overcome this, clear your mind and try to relax before you visit your dentist for your next appointment. You can use calming techniques like meditation and breathing exercises to keep you calm before your next appointment with your dentist. Even if you have had a bad experience in your past, it does not mean it will always have to be like that. Remember that a calm and positive outlook will help create a better dental experience for you in the end. - Pick your dentist wisely
If you have dental phobia, you should know that it is essential to find the right dentist with the right qualifications, experience and mode of treatment. It does not matter if they have years of experience under their belt or have won the most professional award thousands of times; what matters is how well they treat their patients. Find out if they are compassionate, caring and gentle with their patients. This will indicate that they are patient enough to show care to patients who are sensitive or patients who experience phobia for dental care. Overall, what you are interested in, is getting a positive dental care experience. - Stay updated
In dentistry, there are constant advancements, and these advancements help ease the patient’s experience. You can find out if your dentist uses alternatives to needles such as oraqix gel or if they use other current technologies that are patient-friendly. Any dentist who uses tools that put the patient’s comfort at the forefront should be worth considering. - Use the buddy system
If you suffer from extreme dental anxiety, you should consider bringing someone along to your dental appointments. They could be someone you love and trust so well, like a friend or a relative, or even someone to lighten up the mood or put you at ease. They can come into the examination room with you if your dentist allows so that you can feel better and more relaxed during the procedure. - Get a distraction
When you are anxious or scared, it puts your senses on high alert. This means that listening to sounds or seeing things can make you feel worse than you do already. To help with this, try bringing a distraction tool like earplugs or a book to your next appointment. While you wait your turn, you can listen to some good music or read a book to tune out the noises or things you see that make you anxious. You can also watch movies in the waiting room to ease up while you wait your turn. - Don’t try to take it all in
You should consider dividing your treatment into several visits at different times according to your comfort level. This is because if you avoid your dental appointments for a while, you may require multiple treatments afterwards to meet up. Tackling your treatment or dental appointments by taking them a little at a time will help you accomplish long term dental goals and dental wellness. You can work with your dentist to create a treatment plan that will allow you to feel comfortable during your dental appointment and help you complete the treatment with ease. - Be proactive
Try not to avoid the dentist’s office; you can make your trip to the dentist’s chair much easier by keeping up with the right dental activities at home, like brushing twice daily, flossing, and staying away from sugary food and beverages. By doing all these and keeping your appointments with the dentist, you would have less to worry about when it comes to the state of your dental health.
It may take a while, but you will surely overcome your fear of the dentist or your dental anxiety. Get in touch with a dentist in St Albans by giving us a call to book an appointment or by sending us an email.