Managing Dental Fear
Dental Fear Management Applecross
Caring for your oral health is paramount. This goes above and beyond brushing and flossing your teeth at least two times a day.
Every 6 months or when the need arises, you need to visit your dentist for dental check-ups, cleanings, and even treatments.
Unfortunately, some people have dental fear, and they don’t have the courage to see their dentist, even for something as simple as deep cleaning.
What more if they will undergo a tooth extraction or oral surgery?
What Causes Dental Fear
There are several reasons some individuals have developed dental fear over time. But in most cases, it all boils down to the following:
Bad experiences from the past: The fear may be linked to a horrible experience in the past. Chances are, you had a simple tooth extraction when you were young.
Maybe the dentist failed to give you the right dose of anaesthesia, resulting in unbearable pain. As you’ve grown older, the experience stops you from seeking professional help.
Oral health concerns: Some may not necessarily have dental phobia but are just scared or quite anxious about seeing the dentist because of their oral health condition.
For example, you are afraid of visiting your dentist and getting yourself treated because of neglect, bad breath or gum infection, as you don’t like to be judged.
Addressing Dental Fear in Patients
If you or someone you know suffers from dental fear, there are steps you can take to alleviate fear.
- Have open and clear communication with your Applecross dentist. Dentists are trained to treat patients with dental anxiety. Expressing your concerns with the dentist and staff will help the team adapt treatment to your specific needs.
- Select a low-stress appointment time so that you don’t feel rushed or pressured.
- If the sound of the drill bothers you, bring your favourite music and earphones.
- Instead of caffeine and sugary foods, consume high-protein alternatives like almonds and salmon that produce a calming effect.
- Fear is often “mind over matter”. Nervous people tend to hold their breath. Focus on breathing slowly during dental procedures to decrease anxiety and reduce stress levels.
Dental Fear Management in Applecross
If you are someone who has put off visiting the dentist for months or years, we understand.
You can be confident that there are no judgments about your current oral health condition. You can rest assured that each one of us will do everything to ensure a comfortable experience while you are here at our Applecross dental office.
Visit your Applecross dentist today!
Request your appointment in our Applecross office — contact us online or call (08) 9316 0555.
We are located at 729 Canning Hwy in Applecross WA.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
What is dental fear? How common is it?
Several patients experience dental fear in many forms. Anxiety levels can be broken down into mild, moderate and severe.
There are patients who have fears so great that they generally avoid dental visits at all costs. Unfortunately, this has the effect of letting things go until they become intolerable.
Who can suffer from dental fear?
Dental fear affects people of any age. From young patients who have bad experiences with dentists and grow scared of dental procedures to adults who have never visited the dentist in their whole life, anyone can suffer from dental anxiety, including you.
How do I overcome my dental fear?
The first most important thing you can do is to realise that your dental fear can be managed by ‘unlearning’ the behaviour or experience that caused the fear in the first place.
A holistic patient-centred approach that treats you as a whole person can help you overcome your fears. This takes a team approach between you, your dentist and the whole dental team.