How to Overcome Dental Anxiety
You’re not alone in your fear of the dentist, and we can help!
Did you know that it’s actually quite common to fear a trip to the dentist? If you’ve never dealt with anxiety at the mention of going to your next regularly scheduled teeth cleaning, the thought may have never crossed your mind. For about 36% of the US population, dental anxiety, also referred to as dental fear, is a constant companion. Dental anxiety is considered extreme for 12% of the population, making poor dental health and oral hygiene a severe risk to the health of those suffering from such fear.
If you’re afraid to visit the dentist, you’re not alone. We at G Dental 32 understand that visiting the dentist can be a nerve-wracking experience, especially when you don’t know what to expect. That’s why we pride ourselves on offering safe, clean, trustworthy, and quality dental care in the Greater Denver Metro Area.
Dental anxiety is common, but that doesn’t mean you won’t be able to overcome it. If you’re worried about visiting the dentist and aren’t sure how to cope, here are some tips and tricks for conquering your fear of the dentist.
What Causes Dental Anxiety?
A helpful first step when you are looking to overcome your dental anxiety is to examine what might be causing it. Anxiety and fear are sometimes rooted in past experiences and can stem from dentist visits in the past that did not leave a good impression. It’s helpful to remember if there was a dental procedure or dentist’s visit in your past that may have brought on a fear of future visits. Did you have a negative experience having a cavity filled as a child? Was there a certain way a previous dentist treated you that left you feeling wary of future visits to any dentist?
If you can pinpoint what might be the root cause of your dental anxiety, you can sometimes address it. If you determine that your dental anxiety does, in fact, stem from a not-so-great experience with a cavity as a child, you can address that experience head-on. A great way to help yourself overcome dental anxiety is to think through your fear and recognize how a visit to the dentist today would be different than your previous experience. Using the cavity example, a visit today to the dentist would be very different. For one thing, you may not even have a cavity that needs to be filled. You also will likely be visiting a different dentist. Additionally, dental procedures have changed and improved over the years, so even the same procedure today might be approached differently. The bottom line is that your experience at the dentist today is likely going to be different—and better—than any experience you’ve had in the past.
Another way identifying the cause of your dental anxiety can help you overcome it is that this allows you to share your concerns with the dentist. Once you understand where your fear is coming from, you can communicate this with your dentist and other office staff prior to making your appointment. It can even be helpful to explain your nervousness about the visit to the front desk person when you initially call and make your appointment. Communication is key when it comes to conquering your dental anxiety, and we always strive to be open and honest with our communication in return at G Dental 32!
How to Overcome Dental Anxiety
Now that you’ve identified where your dental anxiety is coming from, you can start addressing it. While there’s no simple “one-and-done” solution to overcoming dental fear and anxiety, there are several different strategies that can help you stop avoiding the dentist.
Find the right dentist and make an appointment. The first step is always to find the right dentists and go ahead and schedule an appointment rather than putting it off any longer. A good way to find the perfect dentist for you is to read reviews from current patients, call and talk to the staff, and ask questions about what your appointment will entail. Knowledge is power, so the more you can learn about the dentist you’ll be seeing, their treatment options, and what to expect when you walk into the office, the better!
Use relaxation techniques to help calm your nerves. Some simple breathing techniques and meditation practices can help you calm your anxious nerves ahead of your appointment. Counting your breaths, and breathing deeply and fully, can do wonders for an anxious mind and get your thoughts off of the impending appointment.
Bring a friend or family member with you to provide comfort. While you don’t necessarily need to bring anyone with you to the dentist’s office, there is absolutely nothing wrong with bringing a familiar face along to your appointment. Even if they wait in the lobby rather than going to the back with you, having a supportive and friendly person nearby can bring about feelings of safety and relaxation—both very important for a successful dentist appointment.
Arrive at your appointment early. Arriving early to your dentist appointment can help relieve your anxiety in many ways. By being in the office before your scheduled appointment, you’ll have time to get acclimated to the atmosphere of the office and ask the front desk staff any questions you might have. It even gives you some extra time to continue practicing your deep breathing to calm any nerves once you get to the office.
Communicate with your dentist and other staff. Though this has already been mentioned, it’s worth mentioning again: communicate with both your dentist and the other staff you encounter while at the dentist. It helps tremendously if your dental hygienist and the dentist are aware of your anxiety about the dentist. You can explain your past experiences to help them understand what might be triggering to you while you are in the dental chair, and you can even ask for them to explain everything they are doing as they perform each task to help you understand the entire process of the dental cleaning and examination from start to finish. Communication helps both the dentist and you!
Visiting the dentist can be anxiety-inducing, but that doesn’t mean you should avoid your next teeth cleaning. If you experience dental fear and anxiety, you’re not alone, but it is possible to overcome it. Contact us today if you are nervous about scheduling an appointment—we are happy to help walk you through everything our office offers to help you feel comfortable visiting the dentist.
