Afraid of the dentist? 3 ways to help you face your dental fears
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Are you scared to go to the dentist? Does your heart begin to race at the thought of treatment? Know that you are not alone. Having a fear of the dentist is common. Around twelve per cent of Brits suffer from dental anxiety. Some people’s anxious feelings stem from bad experiences, while others have had good experiences, yet still feel uneasy about going for check-ups.
Despite having this fear, we know that we need to go to the dentist. Having regular dental check-ups is crucial for helping us to prevent tooth decay.
If you are due for a check-up or are long overdue, here are a few ways to help you face your dental fears and attend your upcoming appointment.
Selecting a Dentist
If you have dental anxiety, choosing a dentist who will listen and acknowledge your fears is crucial for helping you through your check-up. Talking to a dentist that is not empathetic can leave you feeling more uneasy about the treatment. You may feel as though they will not be empathetic towards you during your treatment.
Ask for recommendations from family and friends. If they have experienced the same fears as you but have found a dentist, you may choose to go with the same one. Since you know that they have helped someone you know overcome their fear, they will likely be able to do the same for you.
Avoid randomly selecting a dentist to hope for the best, warns this professional dentist in Pasadena. If you have a potential dentist in mind, see if you can speak with them beforehand. It will help you to feel a bit more comfortable about booking a check-up. If you are not happy after speaking with a dentist, try looking for someone else.
Research into the Practice for Treatments
If you are looking at getting braces to help straighten your teeth, look at the testimonials about the practices available. For instance, Straight My Teeth have a range of testimonials from previous patients available on their site. Reading through these, you can begin to develop an idea about the practice and what to expect should you choose to go with them.
In addition to looking at the testimonials of the practice, look into the services they provide. Check to see that they have the invisible braces you were interested in getting. Practices like Straight My Teeth will often detail each of their services, providing you with plenty of information about their clear aligners and their process. The same advice is relevant to anyone considering veneers in London or other locations. By researching into the practice, you can go in with an idea of what to expect.
Take Someone With You
If you have booked an appointment, see if you can bring someone into the room with you. That person can speak on your behalf when you are unable to. It will help you to have control of the situation, further easing any feeling of uncertainty.
Ultimately, you want to see a dentist that knows how to treat patients with dental anxiety. It will help you during your check-up.
If you still think that you can go to the dentist, your fear may be too strong to overcome on your own. Consider talking to a psychologist trained to deal with phobias and fears. Oral health is too important to let your fear get in the way.
Photo by Andrea Piacquadio from Pexels
