Dental anxiety can become an overwhelming cycle. You avoid going to the dentist out of fear, but regular dental visits are vital in preserving your oral health. Delaying dental visits can lead to oral health issues that require much more intensive dental work. This may end in painful dental procedures that feed into your dental anxiety. Break the cycle by finding out how to cope with your dental anxiety.
Talk With Your Dentist
The first step is to discuss your concerns with your dentist. They deal with patients inflicted with dental anxiety daily and will have the tools necessary to help you. They know techniques and coping mechanisms that will allow you to relax during your dental visit. If you don’t tell your dentist about your fears, they will be unable to help you.
Identify Your Fear
There are many types of fears that can be associated with a dental visit. Identifying your specific fear will allow you to create a plan for overcoming it. Needles, pain, drilling, sedation, and embarrassment over the condition of your teeth are just a few of the reasons people fear dental visits. When you know what your specific fear is, you will be able to take the steps to reduce your anxiety.
Distract Yourself
Thoroughly distracting yourself will allow you to relax during your dental visit. Using headphones to listen to your favorite music or using a stress ball to alleviate your anxiety may distract you from your dental anxiety. Many dental offices provide televisions to watch movies or tv shows.
Dental anxiety is a very common occurrence. Dealing with dental anxiety is a necessary step to preserve your oral health. Here at Hendersonville Family Dental, we want you to have the best visit possible. Communicate your fears with us and we will do everything in our power to alleviate them. For more information about dental anxiety, or to schedule your dental visit, contact us at Hendersonville Family Dental today.