Dental Anxiety is real. One of the major reasons for people to avoid professional dental care is dental anxiety – fear of dentists and dental procedures. Just the thought of visiting a dentist even for preventive care and over dental procedures can cause people to panic. Dental anxiety is the fifth-most common cause of anxiety today.
Dental anxiety may arise because one has suffered a traumatic experience in childhood or at some point or it may even derive from the experiences shared by others. It can also arise due to one’s personality make up – if a person normally is timid by nature they are more likely to suffer from this anxiety than others.
Some common fears include fear of pain, fear of blood, fear of injury, fear due to lack of trust on the doctor, fear of the unknown and fear of helplessness or lack of control. While most have mild anxiety, some may have moderate or even extreme anxiety.
The anxiety may manifest in many forms like –
a. Restlessness
b. Muscle tightening
c. Difficulty in breathing or fast breathing
d. Sweating
e. Higher pulse rate
f. Frequent urination
g. Unsteady hands
Do you also suffer from dental anxiety? Well you are not alone, recent studies suggest 13% to 24% people around the world may be suffering from dental anxiety and phobia. Here are some things you can do to overcome this fear.
- Go to a dentist you trust.
- Listen to calming music or play a game on your phone that helps divert attention.
- Take someone along with you on your dental visit with whom you can talk and keep yourself
busy. - Don’t arrive too early for the appointment as the wait time will increase your anxiety.
- Read a book or magazine article that interests you while you wait.
- Try relaxation techniques like controlled breathing.
- Be vocal – talk to your dentist about the procedure, tell them about any discomfort during the
procedure. - In case of extreme phobia we suggest seeing a clinical psychologist.
Fears are real but fears can be combated using small simple techniques. Your dental anxiety may be stopping you from visiting dentists when your dental issues are small resulting in them snowballing into bigger problems which may require you to undergo the very procedures you fear, thereby increasing your fear. So take control and get out of this vicious cycle. You can do it.
If you need our help call Ensure Dental Care at Saginaw Texas on 940-274-3229 and schedule an appointment today. Ensure Dental Care is the one of the best family dental clinics at Saginaw Texas. Follow us on Instagram @ensuredentalcaresaginawtx for offers, deals and more. We accept all major insurance providers.