Around 35% of people in the United States have anxiety about visiting the dentist, which makes keeping their teeth in good condition very difficult. Some of those people will never make an appointment to get their oral health checked, meaning they could get sick or lose teeth, and it’s all down to anxiety.
It doesn’t have to be like this because there are actually a number of things you can to do overcome this anxiety. Read on to find out more so you can get your dental checkup booked and your teeth taken care of as they should be.
Listen To Music
Something that can help in many stressful situations is listening to music, and you can listen to music when you’re at the dentist with ease. Once you have finished talking to the dentist about any problems you might have, let them know that you’re a little nervous, and that you would like to listen to music on your headphones. They will be used to this, but it’s polite to inform them, and it gives you a chance to get comfortable. The dentist can then do their work while you relax with your favorite tunes.
This works well because your mind can focus on the music rather than anything that is happening in and around your mouth. If you choose music that you love and that has positive associations, you’ll feel good and that will help your anxiety too.
Find A Good Dentist
Another great thing to do is to ensure you have dome plenty of research before choosing your dentist. While all dentists will be qualified, some will obviously be better at their job than others – this is the same in any profession. If you can choose a good dentist from the start, one who doesn’t just know how to treat teeth and gums, but who also knows how to help people who are nervous, then you won’t have anything to worry about.
If you have always gone to the same dentist but you know they’re not helpful in terms of your anxiety, then look for someone else. You can ask for recommendations, research online, and make sure they are exactly what you are looking for by reading reviews. You’ll want a dentist who uses up to date equipment from DD Group supplies, who has a good way with nervous patients, and one that offers the services you want at a price that you can pay. Add this all up and you can be sure of a good experience.
Give Yourself Time
When you have to rush to a dental appointment, you will make yourself more stressed and anxious than you normally would be. If you are anxious about visiting the dentist in the first place, this could be enough to make you turn around and leave before getting the help you need.
Therefore, when you are scheduling your appointment, make sure you do so on a day when you have plenty of time. You need time to be calm and not rush and your anxiety will be much lower if you can do this.