Dentists – Overcoming Your Fear

If you are afraid of visiting the dentist, rest assured that you are not alone. As many as 20 percent of all people in America have a very real fear of dentists. While this statistic should help you feel better about your fear, it does not change the fact that your teeth need to be cared for by a qualified dental professional. Therefore, you must learn some strategies to help you overcome your fear of the dentist.

Identify the Cause of Your Fear

The first step in overcoming your fear of dentists is learning why you are afraid. For some, the fear stems from a particularly traumatic experience at the dental office. You may also be afraid of the unknown. If it has been a while since your last visit, you may worry about having extensive, expensive problems to fix. You may also be frightened by the stories others share of bad experiences at the dental office. Identifying your fear will help you calm yourself when the time comes for your appointment.

Understand the Risk

While understanding the risk of skipping your routine appointments may not take away your fear, it will help you look past that fear and get the appointment out of the way. In addition to keeping your teeth healthy, dentists also help keep your gums healthy. Gum disease, which you are at higher risk for if you do not visit the dentist, can compromise your entire immune system, which puts you at a higher risk of developing other illnesses. It also has been linked to serious medical problems, including heart disease and diabetes. Sometimes finding the problem in your mouth will help point to other problems before they become life threatening.

Choose Your Dentist Carefully

When the time comes for the dreaded appointment, take the time to call around and find a dentist you feel comfortable with. Choosing the right dentist will do much to help calm your fears. Call and talk to the dentist, if possible, and state your fears. Find out what he or she can do to alleviate your fears. Also, ask around for people who love their dentists, and start your search with these. Good, patient-friendly dental professionals will have the reputation to back their skills, so it is well worth shopping around a little to find one who has a good “chair-side” manner.

Ask About Sedation Dentistry

If your fear simply cannot be overcome, ask around for a dental office in your area that practices sedation dentistry. Sedation dentistry allows you to have your dental work done while under sedation, ranging from light sedation to full anesthesia. If you are asleep or fully relaxed during the procedure, you will find your fears subsiding.

Remember, having a fear of dentists is nothing new. Thousands, if not millions, of Americans also have some measure of fear, but the risk of not going to the dentist should outweigh the fears you have. Not only do you risk losing your teeth, but you also open yourself up to a whole slew of other health problems.