If you are scared to go to the dentist, you are not alone. Many people postpone their dental appointments due to intense fear of the dentist and dental chair. In fact, most of them go to the dentist only when it’s necessary. Our expert dentist at Magnolia Dental will ensure your safety and comfort while you visit our clinic. That’s why here we have enumerated a few tips that will help you to overcome dental anxiety.
What can cause dental anxiety?
There are multiple factors that can lead to dental anxiety. Most of us are afraid of th tools that dentists have and the sound that comes from them makes the experience more awful. Moreover, if you have negative past experiences, it can aggravate the situation.
Apart from the anxiety, you may hesitate to open your mouth in front of a dentist. Many may get nervous with the idea of someone working inside their mouth. Whether it’s fear of the injection shot or lying down on the dental chair, dental anxiety or phobia can unnecessarily delay your dental treatment needs.
How dental anxiety affects your overall health?
Whatever the cause of your dental anxiety, your dental health may take a toll on your overall health as well. No matter how much dental anxiety you have, skipping a dentist’s appointment is never a good idea. Improper oral hygiene can lead to a number of problems including:
- Cavities or dental caries:
- Bad breath or halitosis
- Gum diseases or gingivitis
- Loose tooth
- Periodontitis
- Pericoronitis
- Fractured or broken tooth
As per research, oral health influences your overall health, and any kind of inflammation or infection can spread into the bloodstream. Thus this can affect your heart health as well.
Gum diseases, if left untreated may also develop lung diseases or infections, rheumatoid athritis and other life-threatning diseases.
Tips for managing dental anxiety
By now, we believe that you have understood the importance of not skipping your dental appointment. To keep your life easier, here we have mentioned a few tips for managing dental anxiety.
- Talk to your dentist: Talk to your dentist about how you feel. Don’t hesitate to talk to our dentists about anything that makes you nervous throughout the procedure. Our expert dentists will take necessary steps to alleviate your anxiety. You can also ask about how our dentists manages to provide treatment to dentophbic patients.
- Watch your breathe: If you get anxious during your dental appointments, taking deep breaths can help. Inhale through nose, hold it for few second and exhale through mouth. Continue this exercise for several times while you wait for your turn.
- Never go alone: If you are visiting your dentist for the first time, going alone is not a good idea. Taking someone familiar will help in relieving your anxiety.
- Know your sedation options: If you have fear of dental treatments, let your dentists know that. Many patients appreciate undergoing general anesthesia over local one. The calming and relaxing quality of nitrous oxide and oral sedatives can also do the job.
- Distraction can do wonder: Wheather you are on dental chair, or in the waiting lobby, distractions can save you from dental anxiety. You can use your favourite podcasts or music playlist as anxiety relieving tool. And if you don’t have such ready-to-listen playlists with you, bring a stress ball that will squeeze your stress away while you visit your dentist.
- Small breaks are necessary: Most people feel anxious while undergoing dental procedure. That’s why we ask for raising your left hand if you feel anxious while getting your treatment. This agreed upon sign language is very much useful for both patient and doctors. Our experts will pause and let you take some break, if necessary.
- Mindfulness is the key: You don’t have to practice mindfulness for long hours to get the benefit of it in our dental office. Slowly breathe in and breathe out for four counts and repeat it for five times. Do this prior to your dental appointment and you will feel better. Even after this, your anxiety level shoots up, our expert dentist Dr. Bajaj and his team will be there to help you out; so that you can cope up the situation in a better way.
Get over your dental fear- We are here
Dental anxiety is for real and we understand that. That is why, we are here to manage your dental fear one step at a time. If you are looking for a dental practice that caters to those having dental anxiety, meet dental experts in Waterdown. Our experts working here are best reviewed dentists for dental anxiety. Here at Magnolia Dental, we try to create a comfortable and welcoming environment for all our patients. To know more, consult our experts today.
Alternatively, you can also search for a term like “teeth whitening staten island ny” on the internet to find a dentist near you.