Dental Anxiety, or the fear of going to the dentist is common in people of all ages. Usually we fear the unknown, or we have had a bad experience with a dentist who was uncaring or was incompetent. That bad experience may have left us with the fear of a repeat performance and so may avoid this, by avoiding the dentist.
Unfortunately when you avoid going for routine office visits like exams and cleanings; minor problems that could have been easily taken care of, turn into major problems that will require more time and perhaps more discomfort.
The best cure for dental anxiety is a good dentist. A good dentist will understand your fears and be willing to take the time and put the effort required into putting you at ease with the visit and any procedures that may be necessary to perform. The right dentist will listen to you and try to understand your anxieties. Your dentist should be willing to take procedures slowly and explain what will happen before starting anything. A good dentist will do everything possible to eliminate all pain, or at least to make you as comfortable as possible and to tell you before hand, if what they are going to do, may cause you any discomfort.
If you are feeling anxious you are likely to put off any needed exams or cleanings and that is not good for your dental health. It is important to have regular intervals between exams and cleanings. It is also very important for your dentist to be able to catch any dental problems early on, when they are easier to manage and take less time. It is much better for you, the patient, to catch things early while they are still minor, than to stall going to the dentist and let minor things become major things.
You should be able to trust your dentist and expect the entire dental staff to respect your anxieties and to be able to take the time needed to reassure you and to answer any questions you may have. Should you feel that you couldn’t trust your dentist to handle your fears with care or to see that your visits are as pain-free as possible then it is time to get a new dentist.
Ask friends and family for dental recommendations. If you are unable to find a dentist through recommendations, then you can ask your family doctor for referrals. Doctors often have to refer patients who have had accidents and should be able to give you some names of dentists in your area. Some communities have phone numbers that you can call to get dental listings. Your insurance company may also have a list of recommended dentists for the plan that you have.
Anxiety can be reduced if the patient knows what to expect during a visit. When the dentist takes time to listen to what the patient fears, the dentist will be able to inform and reassure the patient, to the patients’ satisfaction. Dental care is important not only for the dental health of the patient but also for the patients overall health as well.