Teeth Care Hacks 101: Managing Dental Anxiety and Fear

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Are you among those people who feel shivers running down their spine at the time of dental appointments?

Dental anxiety and fear is a very common issue that often poses a big hurdle and deters patients from visiting a dental clinic. And not just you, there are millions of people across the world who are affected by this trauma.

However, with a strategic approach, you can effectively manage this trauma, and ensure a stress-free dental experience.

Let’s take a closer look.

What Are The Potential Causes?

Dental anxiety can be explained as the fear from a dental setting. And when this fear passes all possible marks of severity, it leads to dental phobia.

Here are some of the potential causes for feeling extreme anxiety for a dentist visit-

• General anxiety, depression, or PTSD (Post Traumatic Stress Disorder).
• Any previous trauma received to the head and neck.
• A fear of sudden loss of control.
• Any previous traumatic dental experience, or traumatic healthcare experience.
• Existing trust issues.
• Any other past traumatic experiences like abuse.

Note: Dental anxiety can lead to missed appointments which might adversely affect your dental health. So, remember to take care of your teeth for good oral hygiene, and try subduing the anxiety for your own good!

How To Spot Someone Having Dental Anxiety?

Spotting a person suffering from dental anxiety is easy. Just consider observing these little dental anxiety symptoms-

Physical Symptoms:

• Experiencing shortness of breath.
• Experiencing difficulty in concentrating.
• Nausea along with dizziness.
• Sweating profusely.
• Sudden increase in heart rate.
• Trembling from head to toe.

Behavioral Symptoms:

• Irritated and angry as appointment dates start to come close.
• Frequent cancellation/ rescheduling dental appointments.
• Clenching jaws and fist while lying down at the dentist’s chair.
• Experiencing difficulty in sleeping due to upcoming dental appointments.
• Experiencing difficulty in lying down on the dentist’s chair.

Seamless Hacks To Manage Dental Anxiety

Dental anxiety or phobia can bring about difficult situations. But the good news is that such issues are manageable. You just have to know the way!

Following are some of the psychological hacks to cope with such a situation and keep your calm-

• Practice Meditation

Meditation is a great exercise that helps to reduce stress, decrease anxiety levels, and let you remain calm in many situations. So, start meditating way before our appointment date to avoid the unnecessary anxiety attacks!

• Choose A Good Distraction

If meditation doesn’t work in your case, distraction will surely! At the time and date of your appointment, just plug in your earphones and listen to music. Such distractions are very helpful as they keep your mind diverted and engaged. Meanwhile, the dentist can easily diagnose your issues.

• The Sign-Language Agreement

Be open about your fears to the dentist. This makes the professional aware of your case, and he/ she might take appropriate measures to treat you. Make up a hand signal that you may use to indicate that you’ll need a break from the treatment.

• Start Taking Deep Breaths!

This may sound funny, but its practicality is out of the world! Picture this- you’re on the dentist’s chair and the diagnosis is about to begin. Suddenly, you feel your anxiety creeping up! Start deep breathing right away! Deep inhalations and exhalations are helpful to avoid unnecessary anxiety and fear from creeping up.

• Medications And Anesthesia

If your dental anxiety and fear of pain knows no bounds and thresholds, it’s better to discuss it with the dentist and opt for medications or anesthesia. This is important to maintain the safety of the patients.

To Conclude

While dental anxiety and fear is a common issue, ignoring it might not be helpful for you in the long run. So, while there’s still time, try to understand the reason behind such anxieties, and follow the above-mentioned dental anxiety management tips to overcome your fears!

Got anything to share on this? Email us at thehealthcarefacts@gmail.com and feel free to share your views on dental anxiety and how to overcome it.

Theresa Perez

Theresa Perez is a seasoned writer for the health industry dedicated to providing fact-based health information. She sources concise facts from authoritative sources to ensure maximum credibility and shares guidelines to lead a healthy lifestyle.