Not everyone looks forward to visiting the Wellington Dentist. We all know that a toothache can be seriously debilitating, but some people struggle with even the simplest of visits, like regular cleaning. If you have no wish to visit yours at any given time, we've put together some tips to help you find an approachable solution to your dental anxiety and phobia so that you can ensure the health of your teeth and gums in conjunction with other areas of your mental health as well.
What is dental anxiety?
If you've ever found yourself waiting in the dental lobby, don't worry – it's not just your imagination. In 2013, Oral-B conducted a study that revealed that 70% of women and 60% of men experienced anxiety before going to the dentist. For some, however, dental anxiety is crippling and can be responsible for avoiding routine appointments.
If you have difficulty reaching a dentist due to time constraints or other obstacles, you may be at risk of not consuming enough nutrients from your diet. This can lead to severe nutrient deficiencies, including higher cholesterol levels and hardening of the arteries, which also increases your risk for diabetes and heart disease.
According to BetterHealth Victoria, there are many reasons a person may be scared of the dentist ranging from childhood trauma to finances. Dental anxiety is often connected to worries about the cost of potential treatment, being the most commonly sighted source of fear in one survey; for others, it is linked to the fear of having sharp objects used during a cleaning, such as needles. For some people, their direct association with illness or disease causes them to want to avoid regular dental care visits.
Dental anxiety and fear of dentists are very common in today's world. No one likes to visit the dentist, but unfortunately, it is an inevitable part of life. Many people try their hardest not to go in for check-ups. Suppose you know anyone who may be suffering from this condition. In that case, there are many different treatments offered by dentist offices around the world that can help ease these patients into visiting a dentist's office without inducing extreme dental anxiety!
Manage dentist phobia & dental anxiety
In the past, the dental phobia has turned people away from visiting the dentist, but lucky for us. There are techniques for managing and even overcoming this fear these days. Just like other types of anxiety disorders, dental fear can be treated through various techniques such as breathing exercises and meditation. Many people will find that an abnormal bowel response results from dental phobia, and bringing this to a therapist will work wonders for them in calming down. If you know that you have milder instances of dental fear where you won't have to visit the dentist too often (e.g., only getting services every 3 months), distract yourself with a little bit of music or a good book while you're in the waiting room may do just enough as long as you remember to stop yourself thinking about teeth!
In addition to methods you can use to get into the calming mindset, there are also techniques your dentist can take advantage of to help you feel more at ease during your appointment. Often, all it takes is for a dentist to maintain a cool and professional tone of voice with their patients and walk them slowly through everything they do throughout an appointment. Dentists are caring medical professionals who always have their patient's best interests at heart, and seeing that they are being cared for success is all it takes for some patients to feel better.
Find a reliable dental team you can trust
If you've been skipping out on dental cleanings for several years, finding a Dentist Near Me and booking an appointment may feel like a big decision. Knowing you're being attended to by a sedation Wellington Dentist with a sterling reputation who has your best interests at heart can go a long way towards peace of mind. At Gentle Dental Wellington, we take the convenience of our patients to heart, with our central location next to the train station, our professional staff, and modern facilities.
Source URL: https://www.gentledental.co.nz/
