Dental anxiety—it’s a lot more common than you may think. Dental anxiety may range from general anxiety to full blown phobia. In any case, there is nothing to fear when it comes to visiting the dentist. If you’ve ever skipped an appointment in the past due to anxiety, you may want to know more about how you can manage it. Whatever level of fear you may have, there are things you can do to help lessen and manage your anxiety.
Talk to Your Dentist
First things first, make sure to talk to your dentist. With general dentistry training, your dentist will understand your fears and be able to help walk you through your appointment before it happens. This also means that you’ll be able to be more prepared for your appointment for general dentistry in Mountain Top, PA, as well.
Bring Support
You can absolutely bring a friend or family member with you to your appointment as well. Most dental practices will even allow you to bring someone into the examination room with you so you can manage your nerves a little better.
Practice Relaxation Techniques
There are many relaxation exercises you can practice to help manage stress and anxiety. One of the best ways to manage anxiety is to practice deep breathing and counting as you breathe. That way, you’ll be able to regulate both your breathing and your heart rate.
Distract Yourself
Distractions are a great way to take your mind off minor anxieties. There are often televisions to focus on in both general dentistry waiting rooms and examination rooms, which will help to redirect your attention. You can also find other strategies to help redirect your attention on your own.
Soothing Sounds
Before and even during your appointment, you may also want to experiment with listening to music or other soothing sounds to help keep you calm. So bust out those headphones, overcome that fear, and visit us for your next dental appointment.
