Whether you are a child or an adult, being afraid of the dentist is quite common, and happens every day. However, you are only hurting yourself by allowing this fear to keep you from dental health.
The basic premise underlying behavioral and psychological methods of overcoming dental phobia is that of the "comfort zone." A common approach is to schedule a show-and-tell type of appointment.
The aim of this is not to do a complete exam, but to proceed at a pace within the child or adult's comfort zone. For example, during this visit, nothing more might occur than you sitting in the dental chair and holding a mouth mirror.
If you feel comfortable, it often proceeds well beyond that, for example allowing a complete exam. The important thing is that regardless of how much has been "achieved" at the end of the visit, any outcome is considered to be successful.
As an adult, you are able to speak up when you feel afraid or uncomfortable. If you are too scared to speak up, write down the things you are not ready for, and give this list to your dentist.
At the end of the day, you are the customer, and if you do not feel like sitting in "the chair" or being told "the diagnosis" straight away, all you have to do is let your dentist know. If you prefer not to see any or all of the "tools," do not be afraid to speak up and say so.
Many people fear losing all control while in the dental chair, and get panicky as a result. If that is the case, you may want to find a dentist who will talk to you throughout the procedure, tell you what they are doing, and what sensations to expect.
This will actually help you feel in control, by understanding what is going on. After all, knowledge is power.
If you feel any pain, be sure to tell them right away, and stop them from proceeding. Make sure you ask your dentist for a pre-agreed stop signal which you can use whenever you want to take a break or in case you feel pain.
In the latter case, you can always get more anesthesia - or, you can schedule a new appointment. The most common stop signal is raising a hand, but anything you agree upon will do.
If a dentist offered a stop signal in the past but then did not stop, you may want to mention this, too. A sense of trust lies at the heart of all psychological methods of anxiety control, and you will have to learn to trust them.
In addition, ample positive reinforcement can go a long way in helping overcome certain fears. Luckily, dentists are more aware of this nowadays.
Try taking a CD player or iPod along, and listen to some of your favorite calming music. You will not hear the noises associated with various dental instruments.
You may even have read about Virtual Reality glasses which are now offered by some dental offices.
However, there is far more to distraction than blending out noises with music, or avoiding the sight of dental instruments by watching a movie. Distraction can encompass the whole environment - all of our senses - and quite literally create a new reality.
You can study different techniques online that describe how to let go of distraction, and mentally go to a different place. It goes without saying that people feel more relaxed in a warm, cheerful environment.
Thankfully, more and more dental practices pride themselves on their relaxed and happy atmosphere. If you are a professional, you may not always have the luxury of working in such an environment, which means that you will have to work quite a bit harder on the interpersonal relationship level.
Still, with a bit of ingenuity, it should be possible to introduce or adapt some of the suggested distraction techniques. For many people, little things such as being able to address their hygienist by their first name can help.
Not wearing a white coat or very formal attire makes a huge difference with some people as well. The first place to start is to do some thinking about what makes you feel comfortable and safe, and adapting that into your office visit-begin today!
Author Resource:-
Jack Landry is a formal dental hygienist and has authored hundreds of articles relating to dental practice and procedures, and recommends this Dentist in Bakersfield, CA.
Contact Info:
Jack R. Landry
JackRLandry@gmail.com
http://www. bakersfieldsmiledesign.com
![[Valid RSS feed]](http://www.massagebyben.com/articles/images/icon_Rss.png "XML Feed For RSS"){kind=icon}
Category Rss Feed
Print This Article
Add To Favorites 