Top five tips to overcome dental anxiety
Dental anxiety, more commonly known as fear of dentists, is actually surprisingly common – it affects 1 in 6 adults in the UK alone. The fear isn’t particularly irrational either. I don’t think any of us enjoy having things poked into our mouths. However, what’s absolutely worse is NOT going to see the dentist.
Why you must see a dentist regularly
If we don’t regularly have dental check-ups and deal with any oral health problems, the problems simply get worse. Then, when we finally make it to the dentist, the problem is so bad that we have to have major surgery and treatment.
With that in mind I thought it was worth looking at some great techniques for overcoming dental anxiety.
1. Find the right dentist for you
If you are afraid of the dentist, then it is much better to find a nice one. In particular, you want to find a dentist who will work with you to help you become less anxious and one who is prepared to take treatments and check-ups slowly to give you as much time to keep prepared mentally and put you at ease as much as possible.
Many dentists will offer you an initial meeting without any invasive procedures. This is a great way to get to know them and see if they will be a good fit for you.
Before you choose a practice, read some reviews on yelp and other websites to check how the dental practitioners are reviewed.
2. Share your anxiety
In order to overcome dental anxiety you need to be able to share your problems with your dentist and others. Dental anxiety affects a significant portion of the population, so is common ground, even if you don’t realise it. Sharing your dental anxiety with your dentist is essential, but sharing with your friends and family is also a great way to get some additional support and help.
3. Practice controlled breathing
Controlled breathing is a very useful technique which helps to relax your body and gives you something to focus on during dental treatment. Simply breathe in through your mouth for an internal count of three, then exhale for a count of three. Repeat this and focus your attention on maintaining a steady, rhythmic breathing pattern. This helps reduce your stress and distracts you from your mouth. I use this when having fillings to keep myself relaxed.
4. Maintain optimal oral care
Prevention is the best medicine as they say. If you want to make the dentist as pain free and relaxed as possible, then you need to keep your oral hygiene levels very high. You want to make sure that you are brushing at least twice a day (preferably three times) and that you are flossing regularly and using mouthwash. This will help to destroy paque and keep your gums healthy, which is just as critical as your teeth.If you can perfect your oral hygiene routine and spend the time every day working on your teeth, you will be able to avoid 90% of all the most common oral problems. In addition, it helps to cut down on sugary food and chew chewing gum to reduce plaque and keep your mouth as healthy as possible.
5. Get support
Finally if you are still struggling with dental anxiety you should consider getting external support. Online there are forums like Dental Fear Central, which offer support networks and can help you find a dentist who will be sympathetic to your problems. If your anxiety really transcends into phobia, then you can consider counselling to help you overcome your fears. Don’t worry, you aren’t alone – many people have to seek counselling to overcome their dental fears and there are actually some specialist psychologists in the country dealing with dental fear.
Alex is a professional writer with a keen passion for oral health, thanks to years of problems.
