If you suffer from a fear of the dentist, you aren’t alone. In fact, around 40 million Americans avoid visiting the dentist because of dental anxiety. Unfortunately, avoidance of the dentist isn’t the answer as this will only contribute to a vicious cycle. If you allow dental problems to go undetected until they cause pain or aesthetic problems, they may be even more painful and costly to treat, requiring more intense procedures.
Overcoming Dental Phobia
Luckily, there are ways to overcome or at least better manage your dental anxiety. These can include the following:
- Education Yourself – Fear of the unknown can often be a factor of dental anxiety. Research the treatment you’ll be receiving and you’ll find that the procedures aren’t often as scary as you’d imagined. Please use our website as a resource for education and give our office a call if you have any additional questions regarding your diagnosis or treatment.
- Use Distractions – Distracting yourself is a great way to ease dental anxiety. Feel free to bring headphones to listen to your favorite soothing music or even an audiobook. Letting your brain focus on something other than your procedure is a great way to calm down.
- Talk to Us About It – We want you to feel comfortable and at-ease at our office. If you do have fears and anxieties regarding dental procedures, please let us know about. We’ll do all we can to make your appointment as stress-free as we possibly can.
- Consider Sedation – Lastly, if all other options fail, we have sedation options available to you. These options will depend on the procedure you’re receiving as well as your level of anxiety. Please let us know if you’d like us to go over these options with you in the office.
Suffering from dental anxiety isn’t anything you need to feel embarrassed about. Please don’t allow these fears to prevent you from receiving the dental treatment you need. To let us know about any anxieties you may have before your appointment, please contact Littleton Implants & Periodontics here in Littleton, Colorado. We want you to feel as comfortable as possible in our office.