How To Overcome Dental Anxiety?

Dental Anxiety

A recent global survey of 18,000 patients found that 61% reported suffering from dental anxiety. This is a great concern for both dentists and patients, since dental avoidance is a common manifestation of this anxiety. Delaying or avoiding needed dental work can lead to significant health complications and a lower quality of life. Anxiety can present another problem for those who do make their appointments. Patients experiencing anxiety during their dental visits often have a greater pain response then patients who are calmer.

What type of emotions do you experience when you consider scheduling your dental appointment? When you actually walk into the reception area and experience a medical environment with antiseptic smells and the sound of drills, how do you feel?

At Aesthetic Dental Centers, we want you to feel completely calm and relaxed at all times. Not only does this make things easier for you, but it also makes our jobs much easier. We will still do our work professionally, but extra layers of difficulty are not desirable for anyone. 

Here are some common causes of worry among patients and how to handle them:

*"It's going to hurt": If you find yourself becoming nervous about the possibility of pain or discomfort, please let us know; we can administer comfortable anesthesia before your treatment. If you are afraid of needles, we can administer nitrous oxide, commonly called laughing gas, so that you are able to relax completely. If this is still not enough, sedation dentistry is available if you have arranged for a driver back home.

*Unpleasant past experiences: This is a very common one. A prior experience can leave you feeling rattled or even repulsed. Maybe your previous dentist was rude or over-billed you. Perhaps your dental hygienist was not thorough enough or personally unpleasant. Don't allow this to prejudice you against future appointments. It may be helpful to inform us about what bothered you previously so that we can take steps to make you feel more comfortable. We are your dental team, and we are on your side.

*Feeling out of control: Being unable to talk or restricted to a chair can actually cause feelings that mimic claustrophobia. If this describes you, please let us know before your appointment how you are feeling. We can make arrangements for you to let us know whenever you need to take a break or stretch your back.

*Feelings of embarrassment: You may find that years have passed since your teeth have been cleaned. Maybe you have been avoiding treatment and are embarrassed by the current condition of your mouth or what your dentist may say. Keep in mind, that we have seen it all. Nothing phases us, so nothing should bother you either.