Many Kiwis deal with dental anxiety. It can vary from mild nerves when going to the dentist, to high levels of anxiety that can make it almost impossible to make an appointment and sit in the chair for treatment.
Unfortunately, dental anxiety can have a detrimental effect on your oral health, which is why it’s important to try to find strategies to overcome that anxiety.
Causes of dental anxiety
Dental anxiety can occur for a number of reasons.
One of the most common is negative memories of dental appointments as a child. For any child, sitting still in a dental chair while a stranger examines and treats their oral health can be a challenge. Yet for some children, any discomfort, fear, or pain in these early stages can result in a lifetime of dental anxiety.
It’s also possible for someone to develop dental anxiety as an adult. This could be the result of a traumatic or difficult experience during their adult years.
Not to mention, dental anxiety can also be part of generalised anxiety or post-traumatic stress disorder.
What can happen if you avoid the dentist
Dental anxiety often leads to people putting off going to the dentist, or avoiding appointments completely.
Sadly, this can exacerbate the problem. By not going to the dentist, issues that could have been avoided can materialise and cause pain and discomfort. Also, issues that could have been fixed with a quick and simple treatment can become much more painful, difficult, and expensive to resolve.
For example, if someone noticed their gums bleeding went to the dentist, they might learn they have gingivitis, then get a professional cleaning from a dental hygienist and take steps to improve their oral hygiene at home to treat the gingivitis. Someone with dental anxiety might simply ignore the symptom, which can worsen without treatment and become periodontitis, which is much more damaging and difficult to treat.
This can become a cycle as those with dental anxiety only end up going to the dentist when the pain or problems become dire, which makes treatment harder, which makes them more anxious and avoidant for the next time.
How to overcome dental anxiety
If you struggle to go to the dentist, it’s important to find a way that works for you to manage your anxiety.
Here are a few tips:
- Make an appointment just to chat with your dentist to get to know them first and feel calmer in the chair without receiving treatment
- Seek therapy for your anxiety
- Tell your dentist about your anxiety and agree on a signal such as raising your hand so you know you can stop the exam or treatment at any time
- Bring a friend or loved one to the appointment with you for moral support
- Bring earbuds so you can listen to your favourite music during the appointment.
If you have dental anxiety, our friendly team at Hutt Dental Hub is here to help you overcome your concerns and look after your oral health. Don’t hesitate to let us know if you are at all anxious about your appointment, and we’ll work with you to keep you calm and ensure you feel safe at all times.
Contact us today to make an appointment or find out more.
