Smile Your Way Through Dental Anxiety

Do you dread visiting the dentist? Do you avoid or postpone your dental appointments? If you do, then you may be suffering from dental anxiety. It is easy to overcome dental anxiety once you recognize the factors which are causing it. It is also important to overcome dental anxiety because by putting off dental appointments, you may be avoiding a potentially minor dental problem which could develop into a significant issue if not attended to. It is therefore advisable to examine what is causing dental anxiety and address the issues.

The two common reasons why people avoid dentists are fear and embarrassment. Let's examine these two factors and demonstrate how you can easily overcome them.

Your fear of pain is unfounded.

Most people who worry that a visit to the dentist may lead to painful procedures are basing their anxiety on misinformed knowledge. Thanks to the application of modern techniques in dental practice, most routine dental procedures are painless. In fact, if you visit your dentist regularly for routine check-ups, it is highly unlikely that you will require any major dental procedure. You may also have formed an impression that dental procedures are painful based on some past experience of your own or someone you know. Your fear may also be based on a lack of awareness. Reading and understanding about dental hygiene procedures and precautions that you can practice at home to prevent dental problems can greatly contribute to allay your fear of dental appointments. Also once you realize that most dental appointments involve just routine dental examinations, you will be able to dispel any anxiety prior to your dental appointments and also breeze through the visit with a smile.

There is no need to be embarrassed in front of your dentist.

Another common factor that contributes to dental anxiety is a feeling of embarrassment. They say that your toothbrush is one of your most private possessions and therefore allowing someone to examine your teeth and mouth requires you to trust your dentist and have confidence in your dental hygiene. In fact, if you regularly brush and floss your teeth, you may already be in perfect dental health and your dentist may have nothing but compliments for you. On the other hand, if you have either a cavity or a toothache, then it is important that you are honest with yourself and your dentist, so that an appropriate solution can be reached before the situation becomes painful.

The best way to overcome dental anxiety is to talk to your dentist and you will discover that you have many reasons to smile and none to worry.

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Comments

  • Nice article. Well said, that smiling reduces stress, lowers the heart rate, and makes it easier to deal with challenges. All smiles have a positive impact on stress levels. Good piece.
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