How to overcome your dental anxiety

If you are someone who suffers from anxiety, one of the first steps you can take is to be open and honest with your dentist and let them know that you are feeling this way. When you are able to open up the lines of communication and have that transparency, your dentist then has the opportunity to work with you on alleviating your fear. Your anxiety level can range from feeling anxious, but making yourself go to your appointment to feeling so anxious that you continuously cancel your appointment. If your fear is preventing you from receiving the dental care you need, this is absolutely something your dentist needs to know about.  

There are things that your dentist can do during your dental appointment to help you with your anxiety. This is a very common problem and is something that dentists are very used to. After letting your dentist know about this, another thing you can do is to work on regulating your breathing. When you become anxious or stressed, people tend to hold their breath. This causes a decrease in your oxygen supply and can lead to you feeling even more panicked than you were. If you focus on taking slow deep breaths, it will automatically start to calm your body, and also gives you something else to be thinking about, instead of just being anxious.  

Dental sounds are something that can add to anxiety, so if the sound of the tools is something that is upsetting to you, many dentists have music you can listen to, or a television they can put on that can provide you with a distraction. If that is not enough, you can ask your dentist if you can bring your own headphones and listen to something during your appointment.  

If you are feeling jittery prior to your appointment, you should also avoid drinking caffeine. Caffeine can make you feel even more jittery, which is the opposite of how you want to be feeling. Chamomile tea would be more calming choice.  

Your dentist may also offer sedation dentistry, which is an option for patients with severe dental anxiety. Your dentist can let you know if this seems like a good option for you. No matter what is causing your anxiety, the sooner you talk to your dentist about it, the sooner you will be on the right track to overcoming your fear and getting the dental care you need.