White walls, unusual metal instruments, and drilling sounds. It’s understandable why the dentist can be a daunting place for many individuals. However, it plays an integral part in maintaining our health, and more times than not is often a pleasant experience.
If you’re struggling with booking your next appointment, then keep on reading. In this article, we are going to discuss how to overcome your fear of the dentist.
Bring Along a Friend
One of the best ways to help decrease your anxiety at the dentist is to bring along a friend or family member. This way, you have support during the whole process and don’t have to go through it alone. Trust us when we say it can be extremely helpful to have someone sit beside you.
Communicate With Your Dentist
Sometimes the reason we get so stressed at the dentist is because we are unsure of what is going to happen. By communicating with your dentist, they can answer any of your questions and inform you of all the steps that will be taken. This way, you can prepare yourself and get rid of that fear of the unknown. If you’re had a bad experience at a particular dentist, try looking for something new like Smilovits DDS, so you start fresh.
Identify Your Cause of Anxiety
To overcome a particular fear, you need to know the exact cause. Are you worried that the process will hurt? Or are you perhaps embarrassed about the current state of your oral health? By determining what triggers you, you can then start the process of overcoming it. Sometimes embracing it, head-on can be the right thing to do, where other times, you may need to talk with your dentist about possible alternative solutions.
Try Relaxation Techniques
Controlled breathing and meditation are known to assist thousands of individuals with their anxieties, and there is no reason why you can’t do it at the dentist! Focus on taking deep breaths and try to take your mind to another place. You would be amazed at how it can slow your heartbeat and relax your body.
Distract Yourself
If you find it challenging to relax yourself, another idea is to try some other forms of distraction. For example, you might ask if some music can be played or if you can listen to an audiobook with headphones. In most cases, the dentist will be more than happy to let you do whatever it takes to relax.
Seek Professional Help
Lastly, if you find that your fear of the dentist is too controlling, then it might be wise to seek help from a psychologist. The fact is, regular dental checkups are vital, and you want to make sure that you take care of your oral health as much as possible. A psychologist can help you determine precisely what is going on so that you don’t let it control your life.
By following the above, you can work towards overcoming your fear so that you can continue to take care of your oral health. Remember, this process may take a little while, but the more you embrace it, the easier it will become to book your next appointment.
