The Brief Guide That Makes Dealing With Dental Anxiety Simple
Did you know that between 50% and 80% of adults have some sort of dental anxiety in the United States?
Bad experiences and white coat syndrome are large factors to these anxieties, but at the end of the day, they can impact your health.
If you want to have good oral hygiene, but fear the dentist, there are a couple of things you should do.
Continue reading to discover the best strategies when trying to prevent and prepare for dental anxiety!
Talk to Your Dentist
One of the first things you should do if you have dental anxiety is to talk to your dentist.
If you are getting a new dentist, you should do this at the first appointment. If you are already established at an office, you can reserve some office time to talk to them by calling the receptionist. When talking to your dentist, be sure that you bring up all of your concerns, bad experiences, and things that have calmed you in the past.
You can click here for more information about dentists that will listen to your concerns and address them at each appointment.
Don’t Shame Yourself
Going into the office for dental treatments can be a nerve-wracking thing, so you should always give yourself credit.
Getting upset or frustrated about your anxiety will only make things worse. When you put more energy into these thoughts, you are more likely to increase the concerns. Believe in yourself and give credit to yourself when you make small steps forward.
This will give you the confidence to get through your appointments and have fewer issues in the future.
Bring a Distraction
A great way to overcome anxiety at the dentist’s office is to bring a relaxing or fun distraction.
Many people recommend bringing headphones so that you can listen to your favorite music while getting the cleaning done. You can also bring fidget spinners or other items to focus on while the dentist is hard at work.
Distractions will take your mind away from the anxiety and help replace negative thoughts with positive ones.
Allow Extra Time
Even if you go to a local dentist, you should give yourself extra time for appointments if you struggle with dental anxiety.
Dental anxiety can easily make people feel overwhelmed and stressed. By taking extra time off work you can calmly get to your appointment without the feeling of both anxieties and stress about the time. Another reason to give yourself more time is so that you can pull yourself together if your emotions get the best of you right before an appointment.
Go to Therapy
You Can Overcome Dental Anxiety
Many people are plagued with dental anxiety, which often leads to skipped appointments and uncared-for teeth.
Even with the best dentist, it can be difficult to overcome these anxieties, however, there are strategies to try. You should always talk to your dentist about any concerns that you have, don’t be embarrassed or leave out information.
Once a conversation has been had you can try to put your attention towards something that you enjoy.
Be sure to check out our blog for more articles about dental procedures and dealing with anxiety!
