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Dental anxiety is an experience in which a patient is extremely nervous when thinking of a dental visit to receive dental procedures or preventive care. It is basically a type of stress, fear, or panic that you feel when you enter a dental environment, or even thinking of such an environment.
A person experiencing dental anxiety may display a rapid pulse, sweating, upset stomach, and an overall feeling of dread when thinking of visiting the dentist office.
Anxious patients can experience responses that are physical, emotional, behavioral and cognitive.
Such a patient believes that they are better off by delaying a visit to the dental office. In reality, they are making it more likely that they will need costly and uncomfortable dental work in the future.
If you suffer from dental anxiety, don’t be embarrassed. As mentioned earlier, this is an extremely common feeling that is shared by many patients. One of the best ways to deal with dental anxiety is to be upfront about it. Your dental team is used to dealing with patients with dental anxiety. T hey definitely want to know about it if you are having these feelings so that your experience is as comfortable as possible.
Many patients with dental anxiety find that it helps to distract themselves during their dental appointments. You can use a stress ball or fidget spinner, for example. Many patients are helped by wearing headphones or earbuds. Listening to an audiobook or your favorite music can help cover up the sound of dental instruments. Just make sure that you select a volume that is not so high that you cannot communicate with your dental team.
Another way to relieve dental anxiety is to have a medication prescribed for you. You can take either prior to your visit or during it.
Most dentists also offer nitrous oxide – a colorless, odorless gas that helps you relax. But wears off rapidly after the supplying mask has been removed.