Table of Contents

• What is Dental Anxiety? 
• Why Do You Have Anxiety? 
• Expert Ways to Ease Your Dental Anxiety
• 1. Wear Headphones and Listen to Music or a Podcast
• 2. Talk to Your Dentist Before Your Appointment
• 3. Bring a Friend or Relative
• 4. Hold a Comfort Item
• 5. Practice Meditation Techniques
• 6. Discuss Anxiety Medications
• 7. Consider Sedation Dentistry
• Address Your Anxiety at Arden Dental

Whether you regularly attend dental appointments or you’re preparing for your first visit, it isn’t uncommon to experience a bit of anxiety. However, sometimes this anxiety can reach a peak and become difficult to quell. In some cases, patients may find that their dental anxiety is so significant that they cancel their appointment entirely. While your dental anxiety may be at an all-time high, there are a few things you can do to attempt to ease it. 

If you’ve dealt with pre-appointment anxiety in the past or are dealing with it now, keep reading to learn more about how we recommend alleviating it before your next dental appointment. 

What is Dental Anxiety? 

Dental anxiety, or dentophobia, is a heightened fear of visiting your dentist. Even if you follow the strictest oral health practices, you may still be nervous about attending your twice-yearly appointments. Many people who experience increased anxiety before an appointment have dealt with poor experiences in the past or exceptionally painful oral ailments. 

This anxiety isn’t uncommon. An estimated 36% of Americans experience some form of dental anxiety, with 12% of those individuals experiencing extreme fear. While some dental patients can overcome this fear, others may be so paralyzed by it that they cancel essential appointments, even if it means compromising their oral health. 

Why Do You Have Anxiety? 

As mentioned above, one of the most common causes of developing dental anxiety is a past negative experience with a dental team. However, this isn’t the only reason someone may experience anxiety. Some of the other reasons why dental patients may experience heightened anxiety include: 

• Word of Mouth: Sometimes it doesn’t take much more than word of mouth to develop anxiety. Hearing people talk about a previous negative experience with a dentist may create a new fear in you, leading to you avoiding dental appointments. 
• Family History: Some phobias, including dentophobia, are passed on from generation to generation. If your loved ones have a fear of the dentist, it isn’t uncommon for you to experience this fear as well. 
• Embarrassment: If it has been a while since you last visited your dentist and you’re concerned about your current oral health condition, this may lead to the development of a dental fear, which may exacerbate poor oral health. 
• Helplessness: You may not be totally comfortable with letting go of control, even when you’re in the dentist’s chair. This helplessness may leave you feeling too out of control and may prevent you from visiting the dentist. 

Expert Ways to Ease Your Dental Anxiety

While dental anxiety isn’t an uncommon occurrence, there are a few things you can do to address this and make it easier to attend regular appointments. Some of the best and easiest ways to address your dental anxiety include:

1. Wear Headphones and Listen to Music or a Podcast

If you want to quell your anxiety before getting treatment, one of the easiest things you can do is listen to music or a podcast during your appointment. This noise adds a welcome distraction as your dental team examines your mouth and treats any potential ailments. It will keep you focused while waiting for your appointment to end. 

2. Talk to Your Dentist Before Your Appointment

Before heading into your next dental appointment, you may want to talk to your dentist about your anxiety. Even if you overcame your anxiety for one appointment, it can come back up again. By talking to your dentist ahead of an upcoming appointment, they can take steps to make this a smoother, less stress-inducing experience. 

3. Bring a Friend or Relative

Sometimes you need the moral support of a loved one during your dental appointment. If possible, consider asking a friend, parent, or sibling to accompany you to your appointment. With their presence in the room during your appointment, you will feel far less anxious than if you had to go into your exam on your own. 

4. Hold a Comfort Item

Some patients find that their dental anxiety is alleviated when they bring a comfort item to their appointment. Whether it’s a stuffed animal or a blanket, keeping this with you while your dental team performs their exam can give you some peace of mind throughout the appointment and make it easier to undergo essential care. 

5. Practice Meditation Techniques

If you want to address your more deep-seated fear of the dentist, you might want to consider practicing meditation techniques before your next appointment. Consider listening to meditation practices and practicing guided imagery to help reduce your anxiety levels both before and during your upcoming dental exam. 

6. Discuss Anxiety Medications

While this isn’t a great option for everyone, you may want to talk to your dentist about prescribing an anxiety medication before your upcoming appointment. If your dentist prescribes this, you’ll take the medication about an hour before your appointment, which should result in a major reduction in dental anxiety. 

7. Consider Sedation Dentistry

Like the prescription of anxiety medication, you may want to talk to your dental team about the potential for sedation dentistry. While this care isn’t appropriate for every appointment, your dental team may offer an oral sedative to help you get through longer, more complex dental appointments or surgical procedures. 

Address Your Anxiety at Arden Dental

If you’ve dealt with dental anxiety in the past, you can trust that our team at Arden Family Dental is here to help you through it. With experience helping patients through varying levels of anxiety, we can help you make this process much smoother and less stressful. When you contact our team for an upcoming appointment, trust that you’re choosing the best team in the Arden, NC, area for your dental care. 

When you’re ready to discuss your dental anxiety with our team of experts, don’t hesitate to contact us.