Posted by Meghan Weaver on Mon, Jun 07, 2010 @ 10:06 AM
Do your palms get sweaty and does your pulse quicken at the mere mention of a dentist? Or, perhaps you find yourself putting off your dental exam again and again because of fear. If either of these sounds like you don't worry, you're not alone. Statistics show that 15% of Americans suffer from dental anxiety (or dental phobia).
Dental anxiety has many culprits including:
- Previous painful or negative experiences at the dentist
- Feelings of helplessness or loss of control in a dental office
- Embarrassment about neglecting your teeth and mouth (and how bad your dental problems may have gotten)
- Fear that the dentist will ridicule you for neglecting your teeth
Dental anxiety leads to delayed dentistry, and that's when it becomes a problem. Many individuals who continually put off preventative dental procedures such as cleanings and oral exams develop dental diseases (i.e. tooth decay and gum disease) the heighten their risk for conditions such as heart attack, diabetes, stroke and respiratory infection just to name a few.
Also, when you let tooth decay and gum disease go untreated for too long, you wind up needing procedures such as root canals and periodontal treatments. These procedures can cost dramatically more than your twice annual cleaning and exam: especially without dental discounts from affordable dental plans.
Whatever your cause of anxiety, we've got your remedy.
Here are five ways to overcome dental anxiety.
#1 Voice your concerns-Make a consultation appointment with your dentist and come clean about your fears. Most dentists are used to working with concerned patients and will do whatever they can to make you feel more comfortable. So, make sure you find a dentist that can trust and who you know has your best interest at heart. This is a crucial first step in curbing dental anxiety.
#2 Talk about a plan of action-Once you've voiced your concerns to your dentist, it's time to put your heads together and take action. Your next step will be to brainstorm a concrete plan of action geared towards your specific fears and concerns. For instance, if your number one fear is pain, ask your dentist to describe in advance, what procedures you will need and the specific ways in which your discomfort will be controlled. You may even want to agree in advance to a signal you can use (i.e. raising your hand) so the dentists can stop the procedure immediately if it hurts too much.
#3 Know the facts-Many individuals equate procedures like root canals with some form of medieval torture, but the truth of the matter is, they really aren't all that bad. Thanks to technological advances, dental instruments and procedures have become far less invasive (and a lot less scary) than they were decades ago. So, feel free to read up on the dental procedure that you'll be receiving beforehand. Or, your dentist can show you all the instruments he or she will be using for the procedure so you'll see that it's not so scary after all.
#4 Ask about sedation dentistry---If absolutely necessary, your dentist may be able to give you a mild sedative when you arrive for your appointment so that by the time you reach the chair you're relaxed and calm. Ask your dentist what his or her policy is on nitrous oxide (i.e. laughing gas) or other sedatives. Last but most certainly not least, if you use a sedative, make sure you have a ride to and from the dental visit.
#5 Train your body to relax-Another way to make your dental appointment more comfortable is to practice relaxation techniques beforehand. Pick a time when you don't feel rushed or pressured, sit or lie down in a comfortable position and completely relax yourself. Then, visualize yourself going through the process of your appointment (driving to the dentist office, walking into the office and checking in, taking a seat in the waiting room, etc.). As soon as you notice tension in your body, stop the visualization, get completely relaxed again and pick back up where you left off. After several sessions of this, you will have trained your body to avoid tension throughout all stages of your dental visit.