Visiting the Dentist Can be Scary – But it Doesn’t Have to Be!

Many of us suffer from dental anxiety, a kind of unofficial term for that fear you get about sitting down in that chair and having someone poke around inside your mouth. Some of dental anxiety is just cultural, but if you’ve had a bad experience with a dentist, like a dental cleaning done too harshly, or a tooth extraction gone wrong, you know it’s hard not to think about that every time you go in for a routine checkup.

Most dentists recommend you get a thorough dental cleaning every 6 months and oral x-rays about once per year. So, unless you’re planning on never getting dental care and hoping for the best, you’ve got to find a way not to panic every time you schedule a new appointment. Now, we place a high priority on providing gentle, skilled and friendly dental care, but we get that that’s not always enough to make you feel safe. So here are some strategies you can employ to feel calmer and safer at your next appointment:

10 Strategies to Calm Your Worries About Your Upcoming Dental Appointment

1. Use distractions while in the chair, like listening to music or a podcast. Something funny, or soothing.
2. Ask if there are any sedation options available for dental-phobic patients.
3. Bring someone with you to the appointment. It helps to know someone you love is waiting for you in the lobby.
4. Ask the technician and the dentist to talk you through each thing they’re doing as they do it. It will make you feel more in control of the situation.
5. If possible, choose an office that provides distractions like video games, or TV’s mounted to the ceiling.
6. Try relaxation techniques like controlled breathing or progressive relaxation while in the chair.
7. Come to your appointment on time, not super early. You don’t want to be waiting in the lobby talking yourself into more of a panic.
8. Let your dentist know if something hurts – don’t suffer in silence.
9. Ask for short breaks as needed. An understanding practice will get it; you’re definitely not the first patient they’ve had with dental anxiety.
10. If your fear of the dentist is so bad that you can’t bring yourself to even go to an appointment, think about speaking to a therapist or counselor about where those intense feelings are coming from. They can give you some tools to work your way towards getting back on track and actually going to a dental cleaning.

See? The dentist office doesn’t have to be a scary place. Yeah, sometimes it’s not fun – no one enjoys emergencies like broken tooth extractions or procedures like root canals – but it’s good to know that when something does come up, you have the resources to get through it. And you know what would really round out this list? Making sure you choose a great family dentistry practice that is patient and patient-focused.