Health Upp Fear Of The Dentist – Do you relate to these fears?
- Being separated from love ones during treatment
- Needles and injections
- The dentist’s drill
If so, you are not alone. Unfortunately, many people feel that their fear to visit dental clinics hold them back from receiving quality dental care and achieving a healthy smile. The good news is that you can take a few steps to overcome your fears and get the treatment done from a professional dentist in Toorak.
How to Overcome Your Fear of the Dentist
Learn about standard procedures and equipment used in dental offices. Talk with your dentist about what will happen during your visits. Ask to see the tools they will use on you.
– Face your fears. When thinking about visiting the dentist, try not to let fears take over your thoughts. Many dental treatments are complete in just a few minutes, but it can be helpful to schedule an appointment for more extend treatment so that you can get use to being in the dentist’s office and having treatments perform.
– Practice relaxation techniques such as deep breathing before you visit your dentist, or keep a stress ball with you while you’re at the dentist so that you can squeeze it if your muscles start to tense up. You can also try humming or listening to music while you’re having dental work done.
– Participate in a few minor, low-risk treatments before your big treatment day. For example, ask your dentist if they can numb a small area of your gum tissue with an anaesthetic so that you can get use to the sensation of local anaesthesia. Or try using some over-the-counter pain relief.
– Bring a friend or loved one with you for moral support. But be sure to tell them not to talk you out of your fears since it can worsen if they do that.
– If the dentist’s office is too crowd and noisy for you, ask for a room with fewer people in it.
– If you feel like escaping, ask the dental staff if they can provide you with headphones and music to block out background noise. Or perhaps invite your favourite tunes on your iPod or phone so that when you plug in the earphones, you’ll forget where you are.
– Ask the dental office to dim the lights, turn off the TV and radio, and lower their voices.
– Keep track of how you handle your dental appointments by writing down the date and time of your visit. The office staff members you met with, and what treatments were perform. Then, give yourself a special treat for going to the dentist after each visit.
– If one approach doesn’t work for you, try another. You may have more success finding a technique that works if you keep trying.
– If necessary, ask your dentist about behaviour management techniques, such as hypnosis or relaxation therapy. Some people visit the dentist more often when they receive counselling from a therapist who teaches them how to think differently about dental treatment.
Fear Of The Dentist – Keep in mind that some dental treatments will continue to feel uncomfortable, even with relaxation techniques. In addition, for some procedures, you may need to wait until the numbness from local anaesthesia wears off.
You can try several different strategies for handling your dental phobia before you find what works best for you. In the meantime, don’t be afraid to ask your dentist questions about what will happen during treatment. With a little patience and the desire to experiment, you have the power to overcome your fear of the dentist.