How to manage dental anxiety

Dental anxiety can be a debilitating condition that stops you from getting the dental care you need. But it is also something that can be managed successfully so you no longer dread those appointments. We’re going to take a closer look at dental anxiety in this article and offer ways to help you overcome your fear of going to the dentist.

Is dental anxiety normal?

Anxiety is a normal reaction to a situation that makes you feel uneasy, so there is no need to feel ashamed if you suffer from fear of the dentist.

In fact, dental anxiety is quite common and affects as many as one in six adults and one in ten children in Australia (1). But obviously, the ideal situation is for you to overcome your dental anxiety and to see going to the dentist as an unexceptional, everyday event.

Symptoms and signs of dental anxiety

These are the common symptoms and signs of dental anxiety:

• Inability to make dental appointments

• Missing dental appointments

• Inability to sleep the night before an appointment

• Physical symptoms of anxiety like racing heart, sweating, low blood pressure

• In more severe cases, difficulty breathing or panic attacks when at the dentist

Reasons for dental anxiety

The reasons behind dental anxiety vary from person to person. Here are some of the common causes:

• A previous negative experience at the dentist — for example suffering pain during a procedure

• A previous traumatic healthcare experience

• Previous trauma to the head or neck

• Poor self-image involving the appearance of the teeth

• Deep-seated trust issues

• Mental health issues such as generalised anxiety, depression, OCD (obsessive-compulsive disorder) or PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder)

Tips to manage dental anxiety

The good news is that there are lots of things you and your dentist can do to make you feel more confident about coming for your appointment and receiving dental care:

• The first step is to find a sympathetic dentist who understands the impact of dental anxiety. Talk to them before you even make an appointment to discuss your anxiety and its triggers and so they can reassure you that they’re there to help.

• Have a trusted friend or family member accompany you to your dental appointment for the moral support you need.

• Take headphones with you to your appointment and listen to your favourite music or a podcast to distract you.

• You could also try deep breathing or meditation techniques to help you relax.

• Once you’ve made that brave first step and attended your appointment, keep up with any follow-up visits. Every time you visit the dentist, it will get easier and easier. Regular check-ups also mean that any potential issues can be treated swiftly before they become bigger problems.

• You may also want to consider sleep or sedation dentistry, which you can read about here. This is carrying out dental procedures while the patient is sedated or asleep so that the experience is calm, relaxed and stress-free — and it’s likely that you won’t even remember anything about your treatment! Ask your dentist for details.

Supporting you in a caring environment

At Smiles of Lalor, we understand that some of our patients are living with dental anxiety. That’s why our approach is always to offer you the support you need in a friendly, caring environment. Our ultimate aim is for you to feel confident and empowered about making your dental appointments and coming to see us. We can help you in so many ways — from a friendly chat before your appointment to talk through your fears to offering a sleep dentistry service to make your care calm and stress-free.

Reach out to us to know more about how we can help you manage your dental anxiety and give you the care you deserve.

References

1. The University of Adelaide, Australian Research Centre for Population Oral Health. ‘Dental Fear and Anxiety: Information for Dental Practitioners,’ published online at: https://www.adelaide.edu.au/arcpoh/dperu/special/dfa/Dental_Fear_Professional.pdf