Coping with Fear of the Dentist

Feb 17
09:19

2011

Ace Abbey

Ace Abbey

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Is fear of the dentist keeping you from getting to your regular check-ups? This article offers some concrete ways that you can get your fears out in the open and overcome them.

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Most people are afraid of the dentist to some extent,Coping with Fear of the Dentist Articles but few do anything to try and dispel this fear. Dental visits are really important for keeping your teeth and gums healthy, so it's essential that we do. Here are some ways that you can get over this phobia and get to your next visit.

Find A New Dentist

The best way to get over fear of visiting the dentist's office is to find one who makes you comfortable. If you have one who laughs, jokes with you and smiles a lot, this will make a huge difference. You might consider switching dentists or, if you don't already have one, looking for one whose manner sets you at ease. Communication is also a huge factor. Many of us don't like going because we find it hard to talk to them, and this causes the experience to be unpleasant. All of this has a bigger influence than we think, so it can help you overcome your fear to find one that is comfortable and friendly.

You're Not Alone

One thing that is a great help in overcoming a fear of dentists is to find others who suffer from this phobia. When you find other people who feel as you do, talking to them helps you to realize it's not just you. You can get your feelings out in the open and discussing them. Often, simply giving voice to your fears helps to dispel them. These days you don't need to join proper support groups; you can find others online who suffer from this fear like you do. Find a group or forum and you can chat with people without even having to leave your computer.

Do Some Research

Another way that you can use the internet to get over your fear of the dentist is to do some research on the topic. There are lots of websites designed specifically to help sufferers like you overcome this phobia. They offer tips and ideas, as well as tell the stories of others who have done it. By examining why we feel this fear, you can gain new perspectives on it, and you might find something that can really help. By reading about it online you can take steps to dealing with it.

Dig Deeper

Once you know a bit more about this phobia, you'll see how it's caused by something from the past, or some bad memories associated with dental clinic visits. Spend some time thinking back over the past and try to see where your fear is coming from. Visualize yourself going into the clinic and notice at which point you feel anxiety. This will give you clues into what really scares you. Once you get to the bottom of this fear, you can start to deal with it. For example, maybe what frightens you is lying in the chair and having someone doing things in your mouth; in other words, being at their mercy. Once you pinpoint exactly what it is that scares you, you can defeat it. In this case, you can think rationally and realize that dentists are trained professionals who try to help people with their teeth.

Ultimately, it takes one giant leap to get over this fear, and that's to make a visit to the dentist. For most of us, once we can manage to actually get into the clinic, our fears fade away as we realize that it's just a routine check-up.

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