Do you have a dental phobia or dental anxiety? It can be scary for some patients to have dental treatments or even visit the dentist, and we understand how it feels, however, you are not alone in this battle. Studies show that approximately 60% of dental patients suffer from this condition. Another term often used for it is dental phobia.
What Odontophobia Means
It means, feeling worried or scared about what would happen to you behind the closed doors of the dentist. It is an over-inflated fear that leaves dental patients feeling paralysed at the thought of going for dental surgery. If you never believed it is a real problem, then you need to know it is a real and very scary problem for most people. If you are suffering from dental anxiety or odontophobia then you are not alone.
We are here to guide you on how to cope with dental anxiety.
How to Beat Odontophobia
You can take two approaches:
- Upward Spiral – This means taking action to fight the crippling fear. You opt for dental treatment before the tooth/problem becomes excruciatingly painful.
- Downward Spiral – This comes when you decide not to visit the dentist because of the fear and you would rather live with the discomfort. Eventually, the tooth/problem becomes critical and more painful.
Our team of experienced and professional dentists can help you cope with the fear by sitting with you and discussing any fears you have. We help all our patients feel comfortable with the dental treatment before we proceed with it. The most important thing is to keep calm and get through the dental appointment with as little stress and fear as possible.
We have a vast array of ideas that can help you calm yourself before the procedure. The most important aspect is trusting the dentist who is treating you. To achieve this we encourage our patients to discuss their concerns and fears with our dentists openly. This allows us to make all the necessary arrangements to ensure your comfort. We also administer anaesthesia so you can be in and out of the surgery with minimal discomfort.
3 Tips to Help You Cope with Odontophobia
The first step was to face the fear and to decide that you must calm yourself down for the visit to the dentist. Here are our top tips that will reduce anxiety to a great extent.
1. Distract Yourself with Your Favourite Music
You can play some music through your earphones whilst on the way to the dentist and in the waiting room. Some people also play it whilst undergoing the surgery. It helps take your mind off the procedure and keeps you calm.
2. Meditate to Calm Your Nerves
Many people use meditation these days. It helps not just in facing your fears but also helps quiet the disturbing thoughts in your mind. You can help yourself by dealing with the fearful thought through meditation.
3. Your dentist can help calm your dental phobia
Talking with your dentist about your concerns, fears, and worries can help a lot. They are in the best position to tell you the facts and help make the process comfortable by attending to your fears. Knowing exactly what troubles you, can allow them to make the process smoother for you.
We hope reading this helps you deal with your dental anxiety or Odontophobia. If you feel you need to speak to any of our dentists, book an appointment right away.