If you begin to get antsy just thinking about a trip to the dentist, you are not alone. Many people have dental anxiety and some of them even have a genuine phobia, known as dentophobia. Fear and anxiety can keep people from maintaining regular visits with their dentist. Since regular visits help to prevent regular check-ups and important preventative care from happening, patients with dental anxiety are at a higher risk of dental complications. The risks of tooth decay and gum disease increase because of a lack of preventative care. The longer that you procrastinate on making a dental visit, the more likely it is that preventable and treatable issues can worsen into bigger issues. Overcoming your dental anxiety can benefit your oral health.
Understanding the Source of Your Anxiety
An important way to deal with your nervousness is to get at the root cause of it. A leading cause of dental anxiety is the fear of having procrastinated too long on going to the dentist. Other causes could include a previously traumatic event with a dentist, the fear of possible pain, embarrassment of the current state of your oral health, financial costs, fear of potential diagnosis, and so on and so on. If you can pinpoint the reason for your own anxiety, you may be better able to deal with it.
Talk About It
Your dental team wants to make each of your visits as comfortable as possible. They will not judge you, so you can feel free to talk to them about your nervousness. If you are able to talk to them, they may be able to calm your nerves. Even if you can’t pinpoint your source of anxiety, it is still worth mentioning that you are nervous. Just talking it out can sometimes be helpful. If they understand your concerns, they can better care for you. Your dentist may offer sedation, if the situation calls for it.
Anxiety should not keep you from oral healthcare
We want to help you face your dental anxiety. To schedule a consultation, call E-Care Dentistry, PA in Olathe, KS, today at 913-210-1701. We also proudly serve patients from Overland Park, Lenexa, Leawood, Gardner, and all surrounding communities.