Do you fear going to the dentist? Well, you’re not alone. Dental anxiety or dental phobia is something many patients experience and often avoid visiting their dentist until a serious problem occurs, forcing them to make the appointment.
Some signs of dental phobia include:
- Trouble sleeping the night before the appointment
- Feeling physically ill
- Difficulty breathing
- Feelings of nervousness that tend to escalate when entering the waiting room
- Increased heart rate and/or blood pressure
There are many reasons why a patient may experience dental phobia such as fear of pain, fear of injections, fear of anesthetic side effects, embarrassment, and fear of loss of control. There are ways to ease the anxiety once your dentist knows what the fears are. The dental office will be able to work with you on reducing your specific fear and make you more comfortable. At Cochecho Dental, we utilize a comfort menu for our patients. The comfort menu includes a soft blanket, a pillow, headphones and iPods to listen to music to dull out the sound of the dental instruments being used, bottled water, and a television with Netflix. We also recommend our patients raise their hand if they feel any discomfort during a procedure or just need a small break. The American Dental Association discusses ways a patient can cope or reduce their dental anxiety by speaking up, distracting yourself, and using mindfulness techniques.
It is important to be comfortable communicating with your dental provider. If they are unaware of your anxiety, they will not be able to assist you with easing your fears. Visiting the dentist for regular checkup appointments is vital to your oral health and reduces the risk of larger problems occurring in the future.
About Cochecho Dental. Cochecho Dental is a full-service dental practice in Dover, NH, providing quality dental care for adults, children, teens and the entire family. Cochecho Dental offers general, cosmetic, and restorative dentistry services. Our seacoast practice is a contemporary, start-of-the-art facility where dental patients can receive routine cleaning, teeth whitening, invisalign, implants, veneers, crowns, restorative services, oral consultation, fillings, dentures, and periodontal therapy. Our fully licensed physicians also offer botox and juvederm cosmetic solutions.
