Strategies for Managing Dental Anxiety

When it comes to things you should do to protect the health of your teeth, attending regular dental appointments is at the top of the list. For those who struggle with dental anxiety, however, attending appointments can be especially difficult. Fortunately, there are things you can do to manage dental anxiety.

Practice Mindfulness

Being mindful of your thoughts and feelings is the first step in managing feelings of anxiety. Because anxiety starts in the mind, the mind is the best place to approach it from. Start by practicing some relaxing breathing techniques. Try slowly breathing in and out, counting up to the same number for each inhale and exhale. Do it while you wait for your appointment and as you sit in the chair. Try body scans too. Pick one end of your body to start with and intentionally relax parts of your body one at a time.

Distract Yourself

Distractions are a fantastic way to redirect your thoughts and reduce feelings of anxiety. Put together a playlist of some of your favorite songs and bring a set of headphones to the dentist so you can listen to some tunes. Give your hands something to do with stress balls, fidget spinners, or fidget cubes. You could also try visualization. Picture yourself in a relaxing environment. Peaceful beaches, forests, and gardens are common go-to choices for visualization exercises.

Talk to Us

Your dentist could help you work through some of your dental anxiety, but only if you are willing to talk to them about it. Depending on what has you feeling anxious, they may be able to change their approach to certain things or find a better way to work with you so you feel more comfortable. They may have ideas for coping strategies you can use to feel less anxious during your appointment as well. Discuss a signal you can use to let them know if you need a break during your appointment to collect yourself for a minute.

Feeling anxious about going to the dentist doesn't stop you from needing to attend those appointments. They’re still an important part of protecting the health of your teeth. There are different strategies you can use to manage dental anxiety. Choose one (or more) of them to try at your next appointment and see how it helps.

Knowing that the dentist you’re seeing comes highly recommended can help curb the anxiety you feel about going to the dentist. Click here to see reviews from happy patients of South Temple Dental. You’ll see that you and your teeth are in good hands.