Most people don’t look forward to a stint in the dentist chair, but severe anxiety prevents millions of people from getting the dental treatment which they need each year. Severe fear of the dentist can stop people visiting altogether, and dental problems can mount up and get worse.
Some people even continue to remain in pain with their teeth due to a fear of visiting the dentist, leading to issues that could end up with a visit to hospital or the emergency dentist.
If you’re afraid of going to the dentist, it’s important to know that you’re not alone, and there are steps you can take to recover from it.
Speak to Your Dentist
Dentists are well equipped to deal with patients who have a fear of dental treatment. If you are due for a dental check-up, rather than put it off the best thing to do is make an appointment and sit down to speak to your dentist about how you feel. Your dentist will then be able to give you advice and help about getting over your fear and getting the dental treatment you need.
Counselling
Fear of the dentist is a common thing, therefore many counsellors and therapists are used to hearing about it. If your fear of the dentist is causing you to put off getting important dental treatment which you need, you may benefit from speaking to a trained professional who can help to put things into perspective and give you advice on how to face and get control of your fears and anxiety.
Change Dentists
If your fear of the dentist stems from something which happened at your current dental practice, changing dentists could be a good idea. Starting over with a new dentist at a different dental surgery could help to make you less anxious as you won’t be remembering the incident which triggered your fear in the first place when you’re there. Search for dentists and get on the waiting list for patients as soon as possible.
It may also be a good idea to tell your new dentist about your fear so that they can help you with it from the start.
Calming Supplements
If you really need to get dental treatment and have severe anxiety, there are a number of supplements which you can take to help you feel calmer. Herbal supplements can be bought at health stores and over the counter in many supermarkets, or you could even ask your doctor for a prescription. Remember, though, that taking tablets might help you to feel better, but they won’t do anything to help you deal with the issues that caused your fear of dentists in the first place. The best thing to do is speak to your doctor, dentist, or other healthcare professional such as a counsellor to decide the best route to take.
You don’t have to remain scared of the dentist for ever! By speaking to the right people and taking the necessary steps, you can get the dental treatment you need without fear.