Different Ways You Can Make Yourself Feel Much More Comfortable While At The Dentist

Do you find yourself being nervous about going to the dentist? If so, you aren’t alone. There have been numerous studies that show around 20% of all Americans try to go to the dentist as infrequently as possible because they have anxiety about the process. Whereas, as much as 5 to 8% end up avoiding the dentist entirely because it’s too stressful for them.

Luckily, there are several different strategies that you can use to avoid allowing these fears to control you. That way, you will be able to take charge of your dental health for the rest of your life. Here are a few of them.

Choose Someone You Like

One of the things you should be doing is choosing a dentist that you like. Choosing someone with who you get along is key. This can be a great way to avoid adding additional irrational fear to the process. By choosing someone who is understanding like Fleet Dental Practice and someone willing to ease your anxiety and stress, you should be able to feel a lot better about going. Try to find someone who is willing and able to help you find strategies that will help you cope. If the dentist you are currently going to is unable to do this, it might be time to look for a new one.

Have Good Communication

The dentist you end up choosing is going to be responsible for helping comfort you during your appointment. However, you will make it a lot more difficult for them to do so successfully if you don’t speak up. You need to learn how to communicate properly if you are going to be comfortable during each visit. For instance:

Always be upfront and honest with your dentist about what makes you anxious. That way, they will be able to do things to help ease your anxiousness and help you feel much more relaxed.

Ask them to give you a walk-through of exactly what they are going to be doing not only before, but also during the procedure. That way, you will feel at ease having full knowledge going into it. This can help make you feel as if you have more control over the situation.

Try to come up with a signal that you will be able to use to communicate with your dentist non-verbally. You can do this with a hand raise or something else that will give you the ability to communicate when your mouth is full or when you cannot speak. This can keep you in better control over the process.

Technological Advancements

Always remind yourself that dentistry has come a long way. The fact is, the horrific things you may have seen that made you scared to visit the dentist are long in the past. Nowadays, you will find more comfortable equipment, technology, and available treatments. Therefore, you don’t have to worry about the imagery that scared you in the first place. You will find a lot more comfortable procedures and treatment options due to the advancements in dental technology. Continue to remind yourself that you aren’t going to experience something as bad as you may have been led to believe due to the outdated imagery.

Listen to Something

One of the best things you can do if you find yourself having to get a dental cleaning or a procedure would be to play some tunes. You can find either music you like or a podcast that you can listen to while you are going through the cleaning or procedure. This way, you can distract yourself enough that you may forget about your anxieties. It can also keep you from hearing some of the frightening sounds that you may not enjoy hearing during dental cleanings or procedures which can further lessen your anxiety.

Practice Relaxing

You should be attempting to deploy various relaxation techniques as much as possible. This way, you can work on reducing the physical anxiety you are experiencing. These strategies can be practised while you are sitting in your dentist’s chair. That way, you will be able to make yourself feel much more at ease even while you are at the dentist.