To Fear or not to Fear? That is the Question
Dental anxiety can be very detrimental to your oral health. It is one of the most common reasons why people avoid going to the dentist. There are many reasons why one can be anxious at the dentist. Common reasons include, pain, lack of control, invasion of personal space, and negative past experiences, just to name a few. However, with a few steps you can overcome your fear of the dentist. A good start is to talk to the dentist about your fear. Having a good discussion about the treatment and options can go a long way to putting you at ease about the procedure. Having a professional viewpoint from the dentist can help you get a better sense of things.
The first step is to visit the dental practice and get used to the surroundings. Spending some time in the chair without commencing any procedures can be helpful in putting bad childhood experiences to rest. Dentistry has made considerable advances and knowing about the latest technology can make you less anxious about getting work done.
A Certain level of control will assist with reducing your anxiety levels. This can be done by going at your own pace and stopping the dentist for breaks. The dentist can devise signals to ensure they know when you want a break, or to stop. Another way to relieve your anxiety is to bring a friend to accompany you to the dentist, as most people feel more comfortable if they are not alone.
The best techniques that dentists use are gently explaining what the patient will feel and for how long, frequently checking in with the patient and asking for permission to continue, giving the patient the opportunity to stop the procedure at any time, giving the patient breaks as requested.
Simple tips to help you overcome the fear of the dentist include going to the dentist with a friend or relative that has no fear of the dentist. Distracting yourself with the available resources such as listening to music, thinking positive thoughts and deep breathing will all go a long way to making you feel better at the Dentist.
At JK Dental our aim is to do dentistry in a pleasant and comfortable manner and to eliminate dental fear and appropriately manage dental anxiety.
Never Fear, JK Dental is always here.