When was the last time that you’ve been to the dentist? If you cannot even remember the last time you stepped into a dental clinic, then you might be terrified of dentists and the symbolic drill. But just because you had a very terrifying childhood experience doesn’t mean that you should put your pearly whites at stake by not visiting the dentist. Be in control of your dental anxiety and face your fear of the drill in four simple steps:
Make sure that you trust your dentist.
The reason for why some people are so petrified of going to the dentist is because they don’t even trust their dentist to begin with how much more when the thought of them drilling holes on their gums start popping into your mind.
Dentists actually receive training on how to pacify and accommodate terrified patients but the ways that they do that vary. There are some dentists who are more intuitive than the others and are able to detect implicitly what could be terrifying a patient.
‘Fess up your fears.
The only way that your dentist could help you overcome your dental anxiety is if you are able to verbalize exactly what it is that makes you shake inside your boots. Some people become paranoid after smelling something very clinical and suggest some looming pain. There are also other individuals who are scared of sitting still in a dentist’s chair while someone puts in something long and sharp in their mouths. If you are able to share your fears to your dentist, then he or she can come up with a way to pacify those fears or at least work around them.
And don’t attempt to self-medicate. There are some individuals who take Valium or some other anti-anxiety drug before heading to the dentist. But this could do more harm than good because the medication could cause physiological effects that could interfere with any dental procedure you intend to go through.
Make new technology work for you.
The reason for why dental anxiety affects older people and not younger individuals has something to do with their experiences when they were younger. Kids these days are exposed to dental procedures which are not as invasive as the ones before, does not include that much bleeding and wound formation, and are more painless. And while you may still be haunted by visions of the drill, chances are that you do not need to go through those types of procedures anymore with the way that new technology has revolutionized the field of dentistry.
Go for a dental spa.
If you really want a different dental experience, then search for a dental spa which integrated dental health care with wellness services. These spas are perfect for people with dental anxieties because their goal is to calm patients down and give them a relaxing experience while getting a professional teeth cleaning.