Does the mention of a dental visit or dental treatment make you scared?
Is your dental anxiety preventing you from receiving timely dental treatment?
If yes, then read on to know some tips to overcome your dental anxiety.
What is dental anxiety?
Dental Anxiety is a fear or a feeling of being scared of undergoing any dental treatment or even visiting a dental clinic. It is a serious medical condition which interferes with dental check visits adversely affecting one’s oral health.
What happens if one has dental anxiety?
Many people are worried before their dental visit for various reasons. But canceling an appointment due to dental anxiety or fear is a matter of concern.
One may experience :
- Sweating
- Lightheadedness
- Panic attacks
- Feeling faint
- Low blood pressure
- Aggressively denying dental visit
What care can be taken as a patient to overcome dental anxiety?
Being anxious about your dental visit is acceptable but avoiding dental treatment altogether because of dental anxiety is something that needs attention.
A person of any age or gender may experience dental anxiety. It is important to understand that a person suffering from dental anxiety is actually anxious and not just avoiding dental treatment.
One can overcome dental anxiety by :
- Communicate with the dentist – First and foremost, convey your fears to the dental team so that they can help you feel at ease.
- Clear your doubts – Dental anxiety may be due to having an unclear idea about the dental treatment. Talking will help clear the doubts.
- Share what makes you feel comfortable – It can be as simple as listening to your favorite songs or letting your kid carry their favorite toy.
- Meditation – Many people feel relaxed when they meditate while being at the dental clinic.
- Appointment time – Select the appointment time to coincide with the time you are most relaxed during the day.
- Distraction – Distracting from the ongoing treatment can help you out.
- Accompanying person – A friend or a family member present at the time of treatment may put you at ease.
- Over the counter medicines – The dentist may prescribe you some over the counter medicines which may help with the dental anxiety.
Are there any procedures which can help with dental anxiety?
In case none of the above things help in reducing dental anxiety, the dentist may suggest ‘Dental Sedation’. Dental sedation is a procedure in which one is administered medication which makes one sedated.
Many times, the possibility of pain is the root of dental anxiety. In such cases, dental sedation can help overcome the anxiety.
You are conscious but asleep so that you don’t feel anything when you are sedated.
Nothing in life is to be feared. It is to be understood.
Try to understand your dental anxiety and together we can conquer it.
