Afraid of the Dentist? Study finds more than 60 percent of people suffer from dental fear.
Common dental fears and anxieties:
- Needles – some people may not like needles in general. Others don’t like the thought of injections into their gums
- The drill – a fear of drilling may be caused by a dislike of the sound and vibration as well as fears about pain
- Pain
- Embarrassment about bad teeth – this can be connected to guilt about poor dental hygiene or bad breath fears
- Sedation fears
Overcoming Dental Fears and Anxieties
Here are some tips to help overcome your dental fears and anxieties:
- Identify your fear. Once you know exactly what you’re fearful about, you can start working towards a solution.
- Choose a great dentist in the Tri-Cities area who listens and cares. Your fears will only increase if you’ve chosen a dentist who isn’t right for you.
- Take someone with you. Some patients find it comforting to take a friend along.
- Ask for a perception of pain. You may find emotional relief from knowing what to expect with a treatment. Ask your dentist to pre-warn you about the sensations you might experience. For instance, will it be a tingle or feel like a mosquito bite?
- Don’t be afraid to ask for sedation if you think it may help.
- Oral sedatives can be taken the night before or on the day of the appointment. The patient is usually monitored by an anesthesiologist at Tri-City Dental Care and can relax during the dental work with no stress.
- Learn about mindfulness, meditation and breathing techniques. They are great ways to reduce your anxiety.
- Seek professional help. The best course of action is to deal with the root cause of your fear. Unless you do this, you will always fear trips to the dentist.
These fears and anxieties may affect your quality of life if they’re left untreated. They may prevent you from having important treatment or visiting the dentist at all.
Unique Patient Comforts Available at Tri-City Dental Care in Kennewick:
- Noise Cancelling “Beats” Headphones. These ultra-quiet headphones are for patient use during any dental procedure. If the sound of a dental drill is not your cup of tea, you can listen to their favorite music, movie, or show on Netflix without having to hear all of the surrounding noise going on as the dental work is being performed.
- Massage Chairs. Massage therapy not only relieves anxiety, but it also improves your total health. Our chairs have vibrating sensors located in multiple areas of the pads. These can be vibrated in an assortment of patterns to help relax your whole body.
- Hand Paraffin Wax Treatments. We dip your hands in warm paraffin wax and wrap them to hold in the warmth and moisture. This works wonders to not only rejuvenate your skin, but also the deeper tissues and joints. Our waxing units are located in the hygiene rooms but you may request the treatment at any appointment.
The first step towards overcoming dental fears and anxiety starts by calling Dr. Anotnio Lopez-ibarra at Tri-City Dental Care at 509.579.0759
Achieve a healthy smile is to schedule an appointment. Our scheduling coordinator will contact you to confirm your appointment.
