The Brief Guide That Makes Alleviating Dental Anxiety Simple

Loud drills, bright lights, a needle scraping your teeth, and harsh smells… does that frighten you?

If you answered yes, you’re definitely not alone. Over half of the world’s population has felt some fear or anxiety involving going to the dentist in their lifetime.

Dental anxiety can be caused by a variety of factors. But the good thing is: that you don’t have to live with it your entire life. Dental care is extremely important to your overall health, so making sure you feel comfortable before going is crucial.

Keep reading if you want to learn some simple ways to beat dental anxiety!

Be Open About Your Dental Anxiety

As with any type of anxiety, it is so imperative that you are open with your dentist about your concerns. It’s completely okay to feel anxious going in for dental treatment or dental procedure, we all get scared of something!

Vocalizing your concerns is the first step to overcoming that fear. Just as you’d tell a regular doctor that you’re scared of surgery, you should feel comfortable telling your dentist you’re scared of treatment.

Now, there’s an important distinction we want to make very clear here. It’s okay to feel dental anxiety, however, you should never feel anxiety regarding your dentist. The two are nuanced, but it is important to know the difference.

If you are scared of your dentist in particular or are shamed for your anxiety— it’s time to find a new dentist. If you find yourself searching on Google for a ‘local dentist near me’, look no further. Boise Oral Surgery has all the answers to your questions, such as finding out whether it is okay to remove all wisdom teeth.

Relax Ahead of Time

You know the phrase: prevention is the best medicine.

If you go into your appointment already feeling anxious or irritated, you’re setting yourself up for failure. Practice some relaxing activities before going in such as reading, doing a light workout, shopping, or whatever else brings you comfort.

You can also bring someone along with you to help you relax. There’s comfort in sharing the pain (aha…)!

Breathe, Then Breathe Some More

Have you ever realized how much we take deep breathing for granted? Just take the 4-7-8 method for example. A few moments of deep, mindful breathing can help relax both your mind and your body!

You can practice mindful breathing during your appointment, too. Even better: activities such as meditation and yoga beforehand can help stimulate proper breathing and relax the mind.

Find a Distraction

Most dentist offices have a television or radio for you to focus on while having your dental procedure done. The best dentist you can find will provide you with multiple options, again encouraging you to be open about your anxieties!

You might even be able to bring in your own device and listen to a podcast or music. The less you focus on what’s being done, the less anxiety you’ll likely have. Out of sight, out of mind, right?

Medication and Anesthesia

For those who need extra help, there are options available. Do not feel shamed for choosing these, they are there to help you!

A doctor or dentist can prescribe you a short dose of anti-anxiety medications to take before you go in. These will limit the activity in your brain, making it easier for you to relax during the appointment.

Anesthesia is also a viable option. Aside from numbing the body to reduce pain, it puts you to sleep during the anxiety-inducing procedure. Be sure to talk with your dentist to set something up if you feel this is right.

Conscious sedation is an alternative, where you are awaked but put under that oh-too-famous ‘laughing gas’ we all know and love.

More Help With Dental Anxiety

We all experience dental anxiety at one point in our lives. Some, more than others. But it’s nothing to feel ashamed of.

There are plenty of options available to help you get your necessary dental treatment done without overbearing anxiety. Feel free to experiment, and even use them in conjunction with one another.

If you need more medical advice, please visit the ‘women’s interest’ section of our blog.