Nine Steps to Conquering Dental Anxiety

Glenda Payas, DMD

Anxiety and fear are serious problems for many of us. People experience fear due to a variety of causes; the uncertainty of the future, work pressures, and relationship pressures are only a few of the things people fear on a day-to-day basis. What's more, many suffer from anxiety over their health and are anxious about dental care. Quite a few of these people ignore the warning signs and fail to seek care because they would rather not treat the problem.

How do we get past this awful anxiety, which prevents us from taking action? Several important steps can help us to bring these anxieties under control. Here are some suggestions that may help.

1. Take control of your life.
You are in charge of yourself and your future. No one else is in control of your life. You are! Say to yourself 'I am going to address this problem and find a solution through seeking out a health care provider that I trust and that I am comfortable with.'

2. Choose a dentist who understands your needs and is willing to help you.
You need a dentist who is determined to provide the finest dental care in an understanding and positive environment where you are the primary focus and a highly professional staff that focuses on you -- the patient. Your dentist should care about each patient rather than how many patients he or she can see each day. The goal should be your care and comfort. Consider finding a dentist who has the confidence of other professionals around them. Go to a dentist that other doctors and dentists choose as their own dentist. What really matters is that you consider the problem in need of resolution and address it.

3. Select a clinician who offers the latest techniques in dental care, including conscious sedation.
Conscious sedation can help reduce your dental anxiety, fear, and apprehension. This new technique will allow you to sleep through the most complex of dental procedures.

4. Make an appointment, and keep it.
Before making an appointment decide that you will follow through, because the doctor has set aside that time just for you. Write down the issues you have concerns about, as well as any questions you need to get answered and resolved. It really doesn't matter if you have all the desire in the world if you don't follow through.

5. Call a friend or other family member who will go with you.
Your friends understand you; ask them to help you meet this challenge head on. Do it! Good friends will understand and help you to work through the issue of fear.

6. Care is the principle concern, and your central focus should be getting the best care possible.
After all, you want to get the care and complete the evaluation and treatment in a helpful and understanding environment where you are comfortable.

7. Make a commitment to your health.
To achieve better health in every area of your life, decide to allow no fear to stand in your way.

8. You are your most important priority.
Choose to make you and your health your highest priorities, and change your health so that you can maximize your life.

9. Begin your journey today.
Take charge of your life and decide which issues most concern you. Your dental health should be one of your highest priorities in life. When you have good dental health, your mouth can feed the rest of your body, speak for you effectively, and share your emotions with others in a highly effective and positive way. Don't allow anxiety and fear of dental care to stand in the way of good oral health, and good health in general.

These no nonsense suggestions are brought to you with the sincere desire that you will seek out dental care from highly qualified professionals whose primary focus is your total dental health.

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