The fear of dentists is one of the most common fears out there. This is understandable as many people tend to associate going to the dentist with some really bad experience. No memory of a painful experience can result in positive thinking about a scenario that was the reason for the pain in question. Now, here’s the thing – even though going to the dentist can result in a painful procedure, it isn’t always like that. And not to mention how essential is going to the dentist for our health!
The main problem with this phobia is the fact that the more you avoid going, the probability is higher that you may have a dental issue. So, how can you possibly overcome this fear? Well, there are a lot of ways, most based on some grounding thoughts and facts that can help you see more reason than fear. If you or your loved one has a phobia associated with dentists, you have come to the right place. Here, we will present you with three facts that can help a lot when it comes to breaking the fear.
-
Dentists Are More Aware of This Fear Than You Might Think
Many people tend to translate their fear of pain to the dentist in question. Differentiating these two things might be a lot easier for you if you get to think about dentists differently. Stephen D. Barker, a dentist from Southbridgedentistry.com explains that anxiety reduction is something that’s very important for dentists. He goes on to explain that a great way to combat this fear is to go to your dentist just to talk. Get familiar with the place, talk to your dentist – they will be able to assure you that you are in good hands and that everything will go well. You have nothing to lose and a lot to gain, the professionals are the best at calming you down in situations like these.
-
What You’re Experiencing Might Actually Be Anxiety
In a lot of cases, fear of going to the dentist might be attributed to anxiety, did you know that the fear of dentists isn’t categorized as a phobia? The reason for this lies in the fact that it is thoroughly man-made, and you can develop it at any point in life. Now, all of that’s fine and understandable, but how does it help you?
Well, it helps you because pinpointing your exact reasoning and emotions allows you to shift your thoughts to something more constructive. For instance, there is a common psychological trick where you can trick your brain to feel excited when you’re feeling anxious. You can do so by telling yourself that what you’re feeling isn’t anxiety, but actual excitement – and it works! The reason for this lies in the fact that these emotions are extremely similar. You might not feel excited about going to the dentist, but try telling yourself that you are excited about getting it over with.
-
Skipping Your Appointment Only Enhances the Fear
We have touched on this in the beginning, but it is an important point to make. The cycle of fear can only be broken by actually going to the dentist. You surely don’t want your dental issue to grow and require a more delicate procedure. Did you know that the most common way in which people break their fear of dentists is by a positive experience? If you don’t go, you lower the possibility of breaking the fear all the way down to zero percent.
In the end, dealing with fears is by no means easy. But, there are ways for you to overcome your fear of dentists. Not skipping your next appointment might be the only thing that’s between resolving your fear!
