7 Ways to Combat Your Dental Anxiety
CS Aesthetics • Jan, 2020
Need to visit your dentist? Struggling with how to cope with dental anxiety? As a dental phobia certified practice, CS Aesthetics Birmingham is no stranger to nervous patients. It’s not uncommon to fear going to the dentist, but here are seven ways to combat your dental anxiety.
Before we launch into how to cope with dental anxiety, we want you to know that you’re not alone in your fear of dental treatment. According to the Oral Health Foundation, almost half of UK adults have a fear of the dentist, with 12% of these suffering from an extreme dental anxiety or phobia.
Equally, visiting the dentist is ranked number one for making people nervous – even more popular than a fear of heights. However you CAN overcome your dental phobia. Choosing the right dentist and communicating your fears is one of the best forms of dental anxiety management, so let’s start there:
1. Tell your dentist about your dental anxiety
If you are tense or worried about your cosmetic dental treatment, let your dentist know. Your dentist will have dealt with hundreds of nervous patients just like you. They will have tactics and techniques that will help to keep you relaxed and calm, adapting your cosmetic dentistry treatment to serve your needs.
Communicating with your dentist is key to easing your dental anxiety.
2. Focus on controlling your breathing during your dental treatment
Focusing on managing your breathing while receiving cosmetic dental treatment will keep you calm by acting as a distraction. Paying too much attention to what your dentist is doing will make you nervous, which may result in you holding your breath. This can decrease your levels of oxygen, adding to your sense of panic.
When in the dentist’s chair, concentrate on breathing slowly and regularly to help reduce your dental anxiety levels.
3. Listen to music
Listening to music is a good distraction during dental treatment. When you’re visiting your dentist, be sure to have some of your favourite tunes ready to play on your smartphone. Put your earphones in, press play, close your eyes and relax while the dentist does their thing.
4. Mind what you eat and drink
What you eat or drink before your dental appointment can have an impact on your dental anxiety levels. Avoid things like coffee and fizzy drinks or anything else with high caffeine levels. Stick to foods with high protein levels, which compared to sugary foods, have a calming effect.
5. Agree on hand signals with your dentist
As part of communicating with your dentist, agree on the use of hand signals with your dental practitioner. This keeps you in control and enables you to signal to your dentist when you feel uncomfortable or you want to stop your treatment.
6. Book an appointment at a low-stress time
Watching the clock during your dental treatment, because you’ve got somewhere else to be, can add to your dental anxiety. Try to book an appointment at a time when you’re not in a rush or under pressure. This might mean that you have to attend an appointment early in the morning or even at the weekend.
Schedule a dental appointment at a time when you’re not in a rush or already under stress.
7. Choose a dental phobia certified dentist
Dental phobia certified practitioners specialise in dental anxiety management, helping to reassure you about your cosmetic dental treatment. A dental phobia certified dentist will explain any procedures to you clearly to help put you at ease when receiving your cosmetic dental treatment.
CS Aesthetics’ Dr Chetan Sharma is an award-winning cosmetic dentist.
