It’s not only kids who get nervous at the dentist — it’s a common occurrence for adults, too! If you tend to get jittery before your appointments, know that you’re not alone, and there are ways you can help overcome your fears. Below, we’ve listed 5 easy ways to stop worrying and learn to love the dentist.
1. Really get to know your fears
Take some time to meditate on what you’re really afraid of. Is it the pain, or perhaps being out of control of the situation? Or perhaps you’re afraid of being diagnosed with a frightful malady? Getting to the root of your issue is the first step toward working through it. Also, know that many of your fears will be exacerbated by not going to the dentist. Not only will time away from the chair allow you to build up the situation to something much bigger and scarier in your head, your teeth also won’t get the care they need. That also means more complicated and expensive procedures! Regular visits mean less problematic and quicker appointments, and before you know it your bi-annual visits will be so routine, you may even be bored.
2. Find the right dentist for you
Many people have developed a fear of the dentist after going to a doctor who may have been less than friendly. This is always disappointing but know that there are lots of friendly, comforting dentists around who will be accommodating to your anxieties and want to give you the easiest and most comfortable experience possible. Ask for recommendations from your friends and family, as well as your primary care provider. They’ll be most likely to guide you to the dentist who is right for you.
3. Communicate!
All medical professionals are trained to work with nervous patients, and dentists, in particular, know that many people enter their offices with anxiety. So, talk to us! Let us know your fears and together, we’ll come up with a treatment plan that helps keep your mind at ease. Whether you want to know every step of the procedure or just need regular check-ins as to whether or not you’re doing okay, we’ll willing to do pretty much whatever makes you most comfortable.
4. Ask to listen to music during your appointment
Sometimes a little distraction is the best way to keep your mind at ease, and music can be a great way to soothe an anxious mind and drown out the sound of dental instruments if that’s a cause of your anxiety. Just ask your dentist or hygienist if it’s okay to pop in your earbuds during the procedure — it’s almost always perfectly fine with us!
5. Your dentist is on your side
We don’t want you to be afraid of us! We dentists truly want to get the best results for our patients, and helping you stay calm and relaxed during a procedure helps us do our work better and helps you have an easier time. We want to build a relationship with you, and through that we can find out how we can work best with one another to have the most productive appointments possible.
Dentists understand that many patients enter the office with anxiety, but it doesn’t have to be that way. With these 5 easy tips, we hope you’ll have an easier time at your next appointment. How have you been able to tackle dental office anxiety? Let us know in the comments!
Leave a Reply