The new year has only just begun and, with it, a list of good resolutions. Among the good intentions we set ourselves when starting a new chapter is improving our smile and no longer putting off that visit to the dentist which, out of fear of the dentist, we postpone again and again.
And that’s just how it is: a high percentage of people avoid visiting their dentist because of an unfounded fear, what we call “dental phobia”, and it ends up taking its toll, at the very least, on our appearance.
Today we bring you a series of tips to overcome that fear of going to your dental appointment and to focus fully on what really matters: the health of your mouth. If you’d like to read more, you may also find our article on how to overcome anxiety at the dentist useful.
10 tips to overcome your fear of the dentist
1. Break the ice
Before your first appointment with your dentist, it’s a good idea to visit the premises. Modern clinics create a calm, harmonious atmosphere that patients find very pleasant. Aware of the anxiety a visit to the dentist causes many people, they take care of the setting with soft colours, light, music and a comfortable waiting area. You can get to know our clinic and our team before your first visit.
2. Be on time for your appointment
It’s best not to arrive much earlier than your appointment time, as waiting creates anxiety and stress and, with them, fear grows. Waiting makes us think about whatever worries us, and this is amplified by things like the sound of the instruments or the smell of the surgery.
3. Try to book first thing in the day
This small detail stops you spending the whole day anticipating everything you imagine could happen in the “chamber of horrors”. If you can avoid playing out these horror scenes in your head, so much the better. An early-morning appointment will spare you those hours of anguish your phobia causes.
4. A first, get-to-know-you appointment
Talk to your dentist about it. Explain how you feel and simply arrange a check-up, nothing more.
A check-up helps you build trust with the specialist who is going to treat you, and that will noticeably reduce your fear.
It’s like climbing a staircase: one step at a time is less tiring than trying to take them three at a time.
5. Ask for professional recommendations
Quite simply. It’s about finding a professional, and also an approachable person, who offers you high-quality care. And what better than someone many people speak well of, especially those who, like you, were afraid of going to the dentist and have now overcome it.
6. Distract yourself
A book. Headphones. A magazine. A friend. Something that takes your fear away from whatever feeds it. While you wait you can hear the instruments and even some conversations that “click” our phobia into action and can make us stressed. Don’t give the enemy an inch!
7. Agree a signal with your dentist
It will reassure you to know that, if you feel any discomfort during treatment, your dentist will understand a simple signal, such as raising a hand or a few fingers. That way you’ll feel in control of the situation at all times.
8. The option of a relaxant or sedation
Sometimes the phobia is stronger than all of the above. If your phobia is severe, some form of sedation may be possible. You can also ask for anaesthetic, as nowadays many dental treatments can be carried out completely pain-free.
And if your phobia is of needles, that’s not a problem either: before the injection, a cream is applied to the area where the anaesthetic will go, numbing it so you feel absolutely nothing. And if your fear of needles is extreme, you can also ask for inhalation sedation.
It’s all about talking it through with your specialist beforehand and weighing up the options until you find the one that makes you feel most comfortable.
9. Get yourself in the right frame of mind
Remind yourself again and again of the benefits your visit to the dentist will bring. Picture how you’ll feel once the treatment is over. And think of the huge number of people who have all kinds of dental treatments every day with excellent results. Being aware of how important your treatment is, and what it means for your health, will help you break through the block and the wall of fear that’s stopping you from going to the dentist.
10. Fear is learnt
If you have young children, take them to the dentist from a very early age, just as you take them to the paediatrician when they have a cough or a temperature. This way they’ll get used to dental professionals and go to their regular check-ups without trauma or fear. We explain this in more detail in our article on the importance of paediatric dentistry.
On the other hand, avoid talking at home about your own fear of the dentist (if you have it), because your son or daughter will hear it and take it on board as a negative experience, lived through you, that they’ll never want to go through. Avoid passing your anxiety on to your children: it’s a burden they’ll carry on their shoulders as adults.
If this fear sounds familiar, take the first step at your own pace: book your first visit and tell us how you feel.
