Hundreds of thousands of people up and down the UK, have struggles when it comes to the dentist. Dental anxiety or phobia is super common and it’s no wonder when we’re subconsciously fed negative narratives surrounding the dentist from early childhood. Though dental anxiety is understandable it can actually be really problematic to our health long term. It is not cared for, so with that in mind here’s a little starter kit on helping with your dental anxiety.
Anxiety Vs Phobia 101
Before we go any further I think it’s important that we establish together exactly what dental anxiety is and what exactly dental phobia is – this is important because how the two make us feel and respond are very different and thus they need to be treated differently.
Anxiety
Dental anxiety is slightly more mild than a phobia. Dental anxiety is more of a worrying feeling and though the idea of the dentist is super stressful it doesn’t affect you to the point where you 100% can’t go and would rather be in agony than to see a dentist. It does however mean you probably won’t just see a dentist Brentwood for a check up, this is problematic because you’re only seeing a dentist when there’s issues which a) doesn’t give you a good experience and b) could cause you long term dental issues.
Phobia
A dental phobia is when you’re really, really scared of the dentist Brentwood and the thought of having to go give you a physically bad reaction, such as anxiety attacks, headaches or even passing out. These fears aren’t treatable alone and you’ll need professional assistance for your GP and dentist in order to find ways to get you to the dentist. Luckily today there are far more options you can explore with hypnotherapy, CBT and medication all being possibilities for you.
How To Help Your Dental Anxiety
The first thing to note is that these tips won’t work for everyone and you shouldn’t be trying these if you have a phobia as you’ll be putting yourself under too much stress.
NUMBER ONE – VISIT THE PRACTICE
If you haven’t ever been to your local practice and aren’t sure of the location or what it’s like then visit it ahead of your appointment slowly. Most practices are really understanding of anxiety and will happily welcome you in and talk you through any questions you have ahead of the appointment.
NUMBER TWO – BOOK AN EARLY SLOT
No need to spend all day wondering and waiting with anxiety on your mind, go in super early and get the appointment asap.
NUMBER THREE – DON’T WAIT FOR PAIN
It’s easily done to think you’ll not go until something is wrong but this is a mistake – you need to get used to the dentist chair and understand it’s an experience that’s there to help you. Going for a simple check up and then maybe a clean on a later date will help you understand the dentist doesn’t have to be scary.