Fighting Fear At The Dentist

Dental procedures are sometimes necessary to preserve your teeth and protect gums. If you're too afraid to set up an appointment and go through with them, that can be detrimental to your dental health. You might feel reluctant to admit that you have serious anxiety surrounding the dentist's office, but many people are also afraid in some way. Dealing with this kind of fear, head on, is vital if you want to avoid pain and other dental problems. But what ought you do?

1-Tell the Dentist

The easiest, most immediate method of fighting your fears is to tell the dentist that you're anxiety-ridden. This can feel rather embarrassing; you might feel that you're too old to have such fears or feel sheepish about your inability to handle these fears alone.

However, your dentist, like many others, is well-aware that some people are just fearful of the dental office experience, particularly if it involves a long procedure. When they know what you're dealing with, they can make several recommendations that could benefit you. For instance, they can give you a timeline and detailed explanation as a procedure happens so that you're better aware of what's happening and when it will end.

2-Ask for Sedation

One solution that could be suggested by the dentist is to offer sedation measures; if not, ask about whether they practice sedation dentistry. In a sedation state, you're less likely to feel upset or anxious while your dental procedure is occurring.  Sedation can be done in many different ways that could keep you alert or put you "to sleep." For instance, you might get a prescription for oral sedatives that will calm you if you take them before your dental visit. If you don't think you can handle that, you might agree to IV sedation measures that are controlled by the dentist in their office. General anesthesia could be used so that you're totally asleep for the entire thing.

Typically, the more alert you are, the fewer side effects you'll experience from the sedation. If you have some nitrous oxide, for instance, where you remain awake, you might even be able to drive yourself home after a while. If you're put under with general anesthesia, you may feel nauseous when you awake and need to remain in the office for a longer period until you're able to be taken home by a responsible adult.

These suggestions can allay fears regarding dental work. By addressing your discomfort directly, you may soon conquer it.