Many people avoid getting appropriate dental care because they're afraid of the dentist or ashamed at the current state of their teeth. Both adults and children can have some apprehension about going to the dentist, but that doesn't mean you can just avoid it. You’re not alone, and there are many common causes and techniques to overcome your anxiety.
Both dental anxiety and dental phobia affect many children and adults. It's easy to see why. Most people aren't going to the dentist for fun. Pain, fear of injections, and general embarrassment over your teeth can all produce anxiety in even the most prepared people. The important thing is to recognize that these fears are quite common, and dentists encounter them all the time.
Though dental anxiety may be an internal fear, it certainly isn't all in your head. Anxiety leads to a faster pulse, difficulty breathing, muscle tension, and many other physical symptoms. While it's important to deal with your dental anxiety, it's also important to understand that it's a real issue, and your feelings are valid.
With that being said, it does have to be subdued and subverted. It's important for everyone to get quality dental care to eliminate pain and make sure that other serious health issues don't arise. Many tried-and-true techniques for general anxiety can also help you deal with dental anxiety.
You may need to try a few things or a combination of things before you calm your nerves completely. If you find that you simply cannot calm down and you're still experiencing high anxiety (or even anxiety attacks), you may have a legitimate dental phobia rather than just generalized dental anxiety.
A dental phobia is far more serious than regular dental anxiety. When a fear has become so significant, it has began impacting your life and health. If you have a serious dental phobia, you may also want to consider talking to a general doctor about your high anxiety levels.
Your dentist can work with you to make sure that you're comfortable, and it's possible that you may need to work with multiple dentists before you find one that you're comfortable with.
Dealing with dental anxiety and dental phobia isn't easy, but it's necessary. There are many things people don’t know about dental checkups that make them critical to maintain your overall health. If you haven't been to the dentist in a while or are afraid of going to the dentist, the time to reach out for help is now. Contact the friendly specialists at Dynamic Dental for a consultation today.