4 Tips for Overcoming Dental Anxiety

Dental anxiety is a common experience. According to the National Institutes of Health, an estimated 12% of people suffer from extreme fear of the dentist and more than a third of the population suffers from mild or moderate dental anxiety. Not only is anxiety unpleasant to deal with, but it can prevent people from accessing the dental care they need to keep their mouths and bodies healthy. As a result, people who fear the dentist often end up suffering from more severe oral health problems that require more invasive treatments. 

To keep your mouth and body healthy so that you can avoid unpleasant, complex dental treatments, it's important to take steps to overcome dental anxiety and visit the dentist regularly for routine cleanings and examinations. 

4 Tips for Overcoming Dental Anxiety

1. Talk to Your Dentist and Communicate in the Dental Chair

If you have dental anxiety, the most important step you can take to start overcoming your fears is to talk with our dentist and dental care team. We understand these feelings and help patients overcome their fears all of the time so that they can get the dental care they need to stay healthy. 

By letting us know, we can talk with you about all of the strategies and options we have available in our office to help our patients feel more comfortable and at ease during their dental appointments. When we understand what you're dealing with, we can work with you to ease your anxieties and create positive treatment experiences. 

Many patients' dental anxiety takes root in feeling that they lose control and the ability to communicate when they are in the dental chair. If you feel claustrophobic or out of control during your dental treatments, it's important to communicate these feelings to our dental care team. We understand and can make accommodations to help you feel more in control and more able to communicate. 

For example, we can establish a non-verbal system of communication that allows you to let us know if you need us to stop treatments or if you need to take a break. We are here to support you in your dental care journey, and we will do everything we can to help minimize your anxiety and help you have a positive experience in our office. 

2. Use Relaxation Techniques

Relaxation techniques can help you reduce the mental thoughts and physical signals of anxiety (such as worries about your appointment or an elevated heart rate). The most popular relaxation techniques are meditation and breathing exercises. Practicing these before, during, and after your treatments can help you mitigate the stress and anxiety of visiting the dental office.

Additionally, our office provides patients with a comfort menu filled with items designed to help ease anxiety and increase their comfort in the dental chair. These items include massage chairs, wireless headphones and music, virtual reality headsets, weighted blankets, warmie pets, televisions in the ceilings, free beverages, and calming aromatherapy. 

3. Eliminate External Stressors

If you suffer from dental anxiety, any other source of stress on or around the day of a dental examination can exacerbate the anxiety you experience in the dental chair. For this reason, we encourage patients with dental anxiety to schedule their appointments on days when they don't have much else going on. Select a time that will be convenient for you so that you won't have to worry about being late or juggling a lot of other appointments in your day. 

If your experience around visiting the dentist is calm, then your time in our office will feel calmer, too. 

4. Ask About Sedation Dentistry

If your dental anxiety is taking a serious toll on your mental health and/or preventing you from getting the dental care you need, there are sedation dentistry techniques available to help you relax before and during your dental appointments. There are a variety of sedation dentistry levels available, ranging from mild sedation to moderate and sleep dentistry. These various levels can be used to mitigate the stress of visiting the dentist for patients experiencing different levels of anxiety and various types of dental treatments. 

How Much Does Dental Sedation Cost?

The price of sedation dentistry varies based on the type of sedation administered and the patient's insurance plan. Our office team can talk with you about your options and treatment preferences to provide you with an estimated cost of sedation dentistry care. 

Sedation Dentistry With Our Dentist in Bolingbrook

If you experience dental anxiety and have been searching for a "sedation dentist near me", then search no further. At 311 Dental, our dental care team takes pride in providing comforting and gentle care in a safe and calming environment. We offer a complete menu of sedation dentistry options in addition to comfort and relaxation strategies in our office. 

To learn more about sedation dentistry and how you can keep your peace of mind while accessing the dental care you need, we welcome you to contact our office today. 

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