Many people have a fear of the dentist, also known as dentophobia, whether it be from a bad experience or simply just a fear that comes up. This is a completely normal thing, however there are things that you can do to help you overcome your fear, so you can go to the dentist no problem and make sure you keep your smile happy and healthy. So, let’s introduce these few simple things to help you feel more comfortable visiting your dentist!
Go To Have A Look Around Before Your Appointment
The first thing that we would recommend you do if you have a fear of the dentist is to go to have a look around before your appointment. If you haven’t been to your dentist before, or you haven’t been in a long time, the fear of the unknown is probably going to contribute to your overall anxiety of the experience. So, give your dental clinic a call, explain how you are feeling and ask if you can come round to have a look (they should be more than happy to do so, and if they aren’t, they might not be the right dental clinic for you).
You can go into the clinic, meet the team and your dentist, perhaps have a drink in the waiting room and just spend a bit of time there. When you arrive on the day, you will then know that you will have friendly faces greeting you and that you are familiar with the environment. This can really help to make a difference to how you feel on the day.
Bring A Friend
Another great tip if you have a fear of the dentist is to bring a friend with you along to the appointment. Many people struggle with being on their own as they travel to the dentist and then wait for their appointment, but having a friend there with you can really help to ease your nerves and to keep you occupied in the run up to the appointment. So, book your appointment and ask a friend to come with you, and this can really help to ease your nerves and make the entire process easier. If you’re having a longer treatment, like full dental implants, they could come for the beginning of the treatment and then once you feel happy and comfortable with the team, they could leave for a while and come back when the treatment has finished.
Schedule Your Appointment For The Morning
There is nothing worse than waiting around all day for an appointment when you already feel nervous, so the best thing you can do is schedule your appointment for the morning. Not only will it be less busy at this time so you won’t be waiting around for long, but the practice itself will also be quieter in general, helping to ease your nerves. This is a simple change that can make a big difference when you arrive for your appointment.
