Easing Dental Anxiety: Coping Methods that Can Help

Dental fear is quite common, especially among adults. However, this fear should not stop you from getting the necessary dental treatment. Discussing your fears with your dentist and working with them can help you overcome your dental phobia. Listed below are some helpful tips to overcome your dental fear.

Discuss your fears with your dentist

Most dentists are familiar with fears and phobias. Some patients even have difficulty just sitting in a chair in the waiting room because they know they will soon have to undergo treatment. Dentists can usually sense the uneasiness and apprehension in a patient immediately upon meeting them. This is why they encourage their patients to talk about their fears or concerns. This can help set the patient’s mind at ease and make them feel more comfortable about being at the dental office. If there is something in particular that the patient is afraid of, then they should let the staff know so they can make a note of this in their patient file before the procedure. They may also be able to suggest certain medications that can help calm your nerves prior to and post-procedure.

Agree on a signal

If you are too embarrassed to make a sound during the procedure or you are feeling too much pain and want to stop the procedure, you should agree on a signal with your dentist beforehand. This can be a nod or a shake of your head. This way, your dentist will know that you are in pain and can stop at any time. It might take some time to get used to communicating this way, but it’s better than being uncomfortable during dental treatments.

Take a distraction with you

You also have the option of bringing a distraction to keep you busy during dental procedures. Bring your favorite book or magazine or your tablet or smartphone and use the few minutes of treatment to read or play. This is an effective way to avoid thinking about upcoming treatments. It’s also a good way to relax your jaw muscles and prevent clenching.

Consider sedation dentistry

If all else fails, ask your dentist about sedation dentistry options such as an IV sedative injection. This can relieve you from anxiety and help your muscles to relax so you can finally have the dental care you need. Sedation dentistry is the use of medication to help a person relax during a dental procedure. It is sometimes referred to as relaxation dentistry or sleep dentistry. Sedative drugs can be given orally in the form of a pill or liquid or through an IV line. The level of sedation can be adjusted depending on the patient’s need and response to treatment.

To find out more about the dental services offered at our dental practice, call (801)-923-1011 or schedule an online consultation. You can also visit us at 1838 N 1075 W #100, Farmington, UT 84025, USA.