Dental Cleaning For People With Dental Anxiety – How to Make the Experience Stress-Free

Dental cleanings are an integral component of oral health care, yet people suffering from anxiety often struggle with attending dental cleaning appointments. While this can be frustrating, this should not prevent anyone from receiving their necessary oral health services.

There are a few things you can do to make your dental visit less stressful, here are a few:

Talk to Your Dentist

People suffering from dental anxiety often feel powerless and helpless in the dentist chair, and this fear could stem from fear of pain, past experiences or general anxiety about dental procedures. No matter the cause, these individuals need to find ways to overcome their anxieties in order to receive appropriate dental care.

Communicating your anxieties to your dentist is the first step toward making the experience as comfortable as possible, and may offer distraction strategies or relaxation techniques during procedures.

Ask your dentist to explain what’s going on during a cleaning and why it’s necessary, giving you an opportunity to ask any necessary questions and take control of the process, if needed. Also be sure to create an alarm signal to notify them when you want them to stop!

Bring a Friend

Are You Suffering From Dental Anxiety? Don’t Feel Alone – Between 9-15% of Americans avoid visiting a dentist due to fear or anxiety, which can have catastrophic repercussions for oral health – such as TMJ disorder, sleep apnea and even mouth cancer going undetected and untreated.

Anxiety over visiting the dentist may be eased simply by talking about it with family and friends, and discussing calming techniques with them. Sharing these stories may make the visit much less daunting.

Distracting yourself during a dental cleaning or procedure is another effective way to make it less daunting. Listening to music or podcasts, bringing along a book you enjoy reading or using a fidget toy may all prove useful for some patients.

Before going for your dental appointment, eating and drinking something that has soothing properties can also help decrease anxiety. Avoid sugary or caffeinated drinks which could raise your heart rate and make you even more nervous.

Take a Pain Medication

Dental anxiety, or fear of the dentist, can have serious repercussions for your oral health. It may lead to you missing appointments for cleanings or allowing more time between visits – leading to various oral health issues and even necessitating more invasive procedures in extreme cases.

One of the best things you can do for your dental anxiety is talking it over with your dentist and hygienist. These professionals have experience dealing with anxious patients, so they can take measures to make your visit as relaxing as possible.

Some individuals suffering from dental anxiety find that taking pain medications can help them feel more at ease. Depending on the intensity of their anxiety levels, medications like nitrous oxide or laughing gas could suffice. Oral sedatives might also provide additional comfort – try meditation, hypnotherapy or yoga as other ways of soothing nerves before consulting with your physician on which sedation solution would best fit.

Reward Yourself

Dental anxiety can have severe repercussions for oral health. From having slight nerves before an appointment to full-blown phobia, there are various methods you can employ to alleviate stress during visits to your dentist.

Step one in becoming more comfortable with your dentist and dental procedure is communicating openly about any concerns and asking any necessary questions. Your dentist is an expert in his/her field and can help demystify it all for you by explaining exactly what to expect during the process.

Before and during an appointment, use relaxation techniques like deep breathing, meditation or visualizing a soothing scene to remain relaxed. Furthermore, being consistent in your visits will make the environment familiar and reduce invasive procedures needlessly. After each successful dental appointment remember to treat yourself afterward by indulging in one of your favorite treats or going on an outing – rewarding yourself is key!