What to do if You Are Scared of the Dentist?

Dental anxiety troubles many people. It can affect people in varying degrees, ranging from mild anxiety to high levels of stress and emotional discomfort before or during scheduled visits. However, if you avoid going to the dentist because of your fears, serious health problems could arise, including tooth decay and gum disease. Fortunately, there are certain steps you can take to try and overcome your fear of the dentist.

Confront Your Fears

• The first step to overcoming your fear of the dentist is to figure out where it originated. According to Dr. Jerry Gordon, a dentist and member of the American Dental Association, there are three common reasons why people fear the dentist. People fear there will be pain during the visit. They fear being scolded for the condition of their mouth, or they fear loss of control during treatment.

  When conquering your fears, it is important to remember that dentists are medical professionals. According to the Bupa website, an international health care company, dentists are trained to deal with anxious patients. Also, don't be self-conscious. Keep in mind that you are not the only person who experiences anxiety at the dentist.

Find the Right Dentist

• To help feel more at ease at the dentist, find the right doctor. Depending on your situation, you may consider looking for a dentist that specifically specializes in treating nervous patients. Ask friends and family for recommendations. Make phone calls to different practices. Be open about your concerns and see if they can help with your situation. If possible, schedule an appointment to meet the dentist before any dental procedures are planned. During the visit, talk about your concerns or worries. If you do not feel comfortable with the dentist after your appointment, continue your search until you find a dentist that makes you feel at ease.

Treatment Options

• Once you are ready to schedule a dental procedure, consider certain treatments to help you relax. A simple method you can try on your own is called a distraction technique. Find ways to ignore the actual procedure by listening to music or audio books, concentrating on relaxing your body or think about something you are looking forward to, according to the website Dental Phobia. Behavioral psychotherapy can also help relieve anxiety. In this course of treatment, a psychotherapist will teach you ways to cope with your dental fears.

  If psychological techniques are not helping, talk to your dentist about being mildly sedated during the procedure. You will still be awake, but will feel very relaxed and probably will not remember the procedure afterwards, according to the website, Bupa. For more serious cases of dental phobia, general anesthesia may be used. However, there are greater risks associated with it. In high doses, anesthesia can cause breathing, blood pressure and heart complications.