Don’t Live In Fear: 4 Ways To Overcome Dental Anxiety

When it comes to fears, dental phobias are pretty common. About 36% of Americans are afraid of dentists. That said, you can do better than just bear this anxiety. Various tips and tricks could help you overcome it! From there, you’d be ready to get vital care for your teeth and gums. Luckily, some of the relevant methods aren’t hard to learn. Here are four great ways to manage dental fears before an upcoming treatment. 

Deep Breathing

There’s a good chance you breathe quickly when fearful. If so, you’re not doing yourself any favors – that habit raises your stress levels. Given these facts, try breathing deeply ahead of your next dental visit.

In reality, deep breathing exercises can relax your mind. They calm your body and thus steady your mood. As such, they can also ease your dental anxiety. You simply need to close your eyes and inhale slowly through the nose. Repeating that process a few times makes your nerves feel less frayed.

Muscle Relaxation

Left to itself, your dental anxiety might tense up your body. (Sitting stiffly in a waiting room certainly doesn’t help.) However, you could practice muscle relaxation to reverse that process.

To be honest, this form of meditation is easy to adopt. The first step is to close your eyes once seated. Next, allow yourself to relax and release your tension. You should also pay attention to your body parts when doing so. In particular, let go of your tight muscles, starting from the head downward.

Helpful Distractions

Naturally, you can’t fear something if you don’t focus on it. Anxiety is driven by what you keep in mind. So, consider distracting yourself at the dentist’s office. If you don’t think about your treatment, you’re less likely to feel stressed or afraid.

If possible, talk with your dentist about possible distractions. They might let you watch TV or a movie during your visit. Alternatively, they could let you wear headphones and listen to music.

Dental Sedation

Of course, you can always take a medical approach to fear. Various drugs are great at relieving anxiety for periods. Therefore, you might want to get dental sedation. This option’s sedatives would calm you for your procedure.

For example, a dentist could offer nitrous oxide or oral conscious sedation. The former uses nitrous oxide – or ‘laughing gas’ – to relieve mild anxiety. Meanwhile, the latter would give you medication to reduce stronger fear. Either sedation, though, would ensure a smooth and relaxed treatment.

Ultimately, it’s never a good idea to live in fear. That being the case, use the tips above to quell your dental anxiety. You should also consult your local dentist about other methods!