How to Manage Being Scared and Stressed at the Dentist
Nervous About Your Appointment at Sladky Family Dental?
If you get anxious about going to the dentist, you’re not alone. Not by a long shot. Some studies show nearly three-fourths of American adults experience anxiety or outright fear when they even think about visiting the dentist. About 1 in 10 Americans experience enough fear to classify it as a phobia. It’s okay. We at Sladky Family Dental know going to the dentist can seem scary!
But avoiding dental care as a result of dental anxiety can result in serious consequences for you and your teeth. Even if you’re nervous about going to the dentist, it’s extremely important to do what’s necessary to keep your mouth clean and healthy.
We want all of our Glendale patients to be as comfortable as possible when they visit our office, so we do everything we can to give our guests a comfortable, calming environment. But there are a few things you can do on your own to help make your visit a little easier.
Understanding and Calming Your Dental Phobia
1. Talk it out—the power of open communication with your dentist
If you’re stressed about your upcoming visit to our Mission office, one of the best things you can do is talk with us about it. Having a clear understanding of what your visit will be like – even visualizing what will occur during your appointment – can do wonders. It’s possible we can make special accommodations to make things more comfortable for you. You’re not the first person who’s been worried about a visit to your dentist’s office, and you won’t be the last! We’re here to help.
2. Distraction is your dental ally
Bring a pair of headphones to your dental visit—musical distraction is a great way to ease dental anxiety. The calming effects of music can help you feel a little less anxious during your visit. If music isn’t distracting enough, some patients enjoy listening to audiobooks during their visit as another distraction strategy. Blocking out the sounds during your dental visit, either with music or audiobooks, can help relieve some anxiety.
3. Breathe, relax, repeat
We all know that deep, relaxing breaths can help reduce our stress, but sometimes we need a reminder. If you’re feeling anxiety about your visit as you drive to our office or you begin feeling fear as you sit in our waiting room, begin by taking a deep breath in, holding it for a second, and slowly letting it out. That’s the most basic start toward relaxation, and it works for almost any situation. Continue relaxing breaths throughout your appointment.
Choose a Dentist That Understands Your Anxiety
Whatever the cause of your anxiety over a visit to our office for your cleaning or other dental procedure, we can manage it together. We want all our patients to be as comfortable as possible, and we want you to look at your visit to the dentist as a good thing. If you have any questions about a dental procedure, or if there is something we can do to ease your worry, contact us. We’ll work as a team to keep your next visit to the dentist stress-free!
