Scared Of The Dentist? Don’t Worry About Your Next Appointment
You don’t need to fear your next appointment.
According to the Oral Health Foundation, around half of adults have anxiety or a phobia of going to the dentist. But most patients who make it into the chair find that it’s nowhere near as bad as they feared – and with the right dental team it can actually be an easy experience.
6 tips to not be scared of the dentist anymore
1. Ask questions and get information
There can be a lot of dental terminology but everything will be explained to you, before and during the procedure so that you can relax because you know what’s happening.
So ask all the questions you need to and it will be answered in a way that’s clear and puts your mind at ease.
2. Eat before your appointment
A lot of people don’t eat before their appointment because they want their teeth to be nice and clean, but that can actually be bad for you.
It is better for you to eat before your appointment – and make sure it is something substantial – especially if you are getting anaesthetic because you can get a bit lightheaded.
3. Get out of your head
If it’s been a couple of decades since your last trip to the dentist, you may have memories of scary looking (and sounding) equipment. Forget about that. Modern equipment and techniques have been created and improved over the years to make procedures and appointments much easier for the patients.
4. Don’t tell your child too much before their appointment
Often children are scared of the dentist. In fact, many of our fears start in childhood, which is why what you tell your children before an appointment matters. Don’t give them too many explanations at home. It’s okay to tell them that it’s an appointment for their teeth and it’s not going to hurt, but some parents tend to explain too much and start talking about needles and injections and that can be scary for a child.