When dealing with dental fear, these methods can help you stay calmer and more comfortable during your dentist visits. If you often suffer from dental anxiety, you're not alone. It's not unusual to feel nervous at the dentist's office, especially if you'll need major dental work done like a root canal or dental implants. How common is dental anxiety? Some estimates state that between a third to half of dental patients feel at least a little apprehensive during their appointments. Between 10 to 15% of people have severe enough anxiety that it's classified as a phobia. Patients often develop dental anxiety for several reasons: Previous bad dental experiences Having an apathetic dentist in the past Embarrassment over poor dental hygiene habits Fear of losing control Prior trauma and impacts to the mouth or jaw Fear of having their personal space invaded Generalized anxiety or PTSD Unfortunately, dental anxiety and dentophobia often causes patients to avoid their dentist appointments whenever possible. Missing your six-month dental cleaning might not seem that bad, but it quickly snowballs into serious dental problems down the road. Brushing and flossing isn't enough to stop plaque and bacteria from building up and eventually leading to cavities and gum disease. However, even then, many patients put off receiving their needed emergency dental care until it's much too late. What helps with dental anxiety? The following are strategies we’ve used and encouraged before to help our patients deal with their dental anxiety and fear.

Let Your Dentist Know The first step in fixing a problem is admitting that there is one in the first place. Many patients try to brush off their dental anxiety if they can. They make excuses for why they can’t visit the dentist’s office, such as their schedules being too busy or that they brush and floss well enough on their own. However, these reasons are flimsy, and they’re only doing your dental health harm in the end. Once you're honest with yourself about your dental fear, it's time for you to be honest with your dentist about it, too. We promise it won't hurt our feelings. We understand that previous bad experiences at another office, even from early childhood, can make a lasting impact. However, we can't help you if we don't know that you need help. By sharing your experiences with us, we can be better prepared to avoid any specific stressors or triggers. We can also tailor the coping advice and techniques that we suggest for you. Don't be afraid to ask your dentist any questions you have. Many people's nervousness comes from fearing the unknown (or at least the assumed but not yet confirmed). By asking us about your treatment, there are no surprises to worry about. What happens during a dental exam? What will a dentist do for a broken tooth? What do the dentists do to fill cavities? How many visits are involved with implant treatment? There's no such thing as a stupid question, either. If it helps you feel more confident and secure during your time with us, then it's the smartest thing you could ask us. Hand Signals Another way you can help combat your dental anxiety is to work with your dentist to create hand signals while you're mid-treatment. Establishing signs for when to pause treatment or for more local anesthetic, you can easily communicate with your dentist while giving yourself some measure of control. Don't force yourself to keep going if you need to take a break. It might feel a little embarrassing for some patients who try to power through uncomfortable situations. Still, it's better for your peace of mind and well-being. If you signal to us that you need a quick 5 to 10-minute intermission, we’ll pause your treatment with no questions asked. We want you to feel not just comfortable during your treatment but safe and trusting in our care. If taking a small pause during your appointment allows you to compose yourself and put your game face back on, we’re more than happy to give you that time. Distract Yourself You can also fight your dentophobia by keeping your mind off of your treatment. It might seem impossible sometimes, but distracting yourself can help you distance yourself mentally from what's happening around you. For example, one of the biggest reminders of dental procedures is the noise, such as the rasp of suction tubes or the whir of a drill. However, earplugs and wearing noise-canceling earphones can give you the quiet necessary to help yourself stay calm and relaxed. Some other popular ways you can distract yourself in the dental chair is by: Closing your eyes and listen to your music, podcasts, or an audiobook Watching TV shows or movies on your phone Visualizing yourself somewhere else that makes you feel calm and comfortable Occupying your hands with something physical to do, such as a fidget spinner or stress toy Relaxation Exercises Breathing exercises like counting your breaths is a well-known and proven method for helping people relax. When breathing, make sure to keep it calm and steady by taking a long, slow breath in, holding it for a moment, and then breathing out. We recommend doing this at least five times before your appointment and during any breaks you take. Not only does this help keep your mind focused on something other than the patient suite you’re in, but it allows your heart to slow down into a more relaxed rhythm. You can also try taking stock of your body. Focus your attention on relaxing each muscle in your body, starting from your head and progressing down to your toes. This might seem strange, but it can get your mind off of what's happening with your mouth and allow you to feel more in control.

Sedation Dentistry If the above methods aren't enough, your dentist may suggest using dental sedation. Sedation allows us to medically keep patients calm through gas, pills, or IV, depending on which type you choose. No matter your dental fear level, sedation can let patients of any age feel comfortable both in body and mind throughout their dentist appointment. There are three types of conscious sedation: Laughing Gas Whether you're coming into our office for a dental cleaning or root canal, laughing gas is a great, flexible option when it comes to dental sedation. What is laughing gas? Also known as nitrous oxide gas, it is the lightest type of sedation. It is inhaled through a mask placed over your nose and quickly starts working within 30 seconds to a few minutes. As its name suggests, laughing gas allows you to stay calm and even happy while our dentists work. You may be shocked, but you may even enjoy your time in the dental chair! Can you still feel pain with laughing gas? Laughing gas is used simultaneously with local anesthesia. On its own, dental anesthesia does a great job of keeping the area of your mouth where we work numb. While nitrous oxide isn't as potent as anesthetic, it can give you even greater comfort and better ensures that you won't feel a thing during treatment. Oral Sedation Oral sedation can give you a deeper and longer-lasting experience than laughing gas. Rather than causing you to feel giddy and happy, this sedative makes patients feel lethargic and calm. Since this sedative is ingested via pills, it takes time to be digested and go into effect. You'll need to take them 30 minutes to an hour before your appointment to already feel the results by the time you see our dentists. You'll need to plan with a friend to have them take you to and from your appointment since you won't be able to drive any machinery for 24 hours. IV Sedation IV sedation dentistry is the most potent type of conscious sedation. It's administered intravenously, and it can have you feeling relaxed and drowsy in just a few minutes or less. Our dentists can adjust your dose throughout treatment as we monitor your progress. Along with managing severe dentophobia, IV sedation is often used when patients need multiple procedures done on the same day. That's why it's a popular part of the wisdom teeth removal procedure since our patients often have most or all of their third molars extracted at once. Our offices don't offer sleep dentistry, but oral and IV sedation often makes patients feel tranquil and sleepy enough to drift off in the dental chair. Since they're in a natural sleep, we can quickly wake them up if we need to ask any questions. However, with both of these more potent sedatives, you will need to have a friend or family member drive you home afterward. Are you interested in speaking to a dentist about how you can beat your dentophobia once and for all? You can reach our Long Beach dental office at (562) 999-3602.