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Get Rid Of Those Dental Appointment Fears

7 January 2015 by Christy Long

If you're the type of person who gets anxious driving past a dental clinic, going to see your family dentist for your regular checkup can be a stressful time. There are some ways to deaden that anxiety and, at least, make the appointment a neutral experience. You may never jump for joy before heading to the dentist, but these techniques can take the edge off so it won't be a traumatic experience for you each time.

Hypnosis

Your anxiety about the dentist may come from an earlier experience that you recall as unpleasant. Your mind condenses that into a simple thought that "going to the dentist is painful." Each time you think about your dental appointment, your brain dredges up that thought and you feel anxious. Hypnosis helps you by altering that thought. A practitioner will try to change the thought to "going to the dentist is tolerable" which is enough to reduce the anxiety you feel.

Reward Yourself

You may know that what the dentist does is not that bad, once you get into the chair. The problem is getting to the appointment. Set up a reward system for just getting into the dentist office waiting room. Make the rest of the day a spa day. Take yourself out for a nice lunch. It may sound counterintuitive to go out for a piece of your favorite cheesecake right after you've had a teeth cleaning. But if it will get you to your appointment for a cleaning and checkup, then it's worth it.

Be Distracted

It may be that the constant thinking about your dental appointment triggers anxiety. Find a dentist who specializes in "gentle dentistry" and you've found a clinic that offers many ways to distract your thinking while in the chair. Some of the distractions this type of office may have for you include

• TV and movies
• video games
• Internet access
• special music and lighting to promote relaxation

The more you can keep yourself occupied while in the dental chair, the fewer opportunities you mind has to create anxiety in you. Just keep your distractions light and positive. This isn't the place to put the finishing touches on your department's quarterly financial report. That will cause another level of anxiety to deal with.

Combat your dental anxiety so you can continue doing your regular dental checkups, from a clinic like The Accent On Dentistry. You may want to combine techniques to keep your anxiety down, but you'll be rewarded for the extra effort by having good dental health.

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