Dental anxiety affects thousands of people across the UK. We’ve grown up surrounded by negative connotations of the dentist, so it’s no wonder so many of us end up wanting to avoid the dentist chair at all costs. So with that in mind, what can you begin doing to help tackle the problem with your dentist Liverpool? Let’s take a closer look.
Explaining Dental Anxiety
Before we dive further in, it’s important we take a second to acknowledge that there are different layers to dental worries, there’s anxiety which we will be delving further into today and phobias which we won’t be. By definition, a phobia is something that causes an acute physical and emotional reaction in a person and, as such, can’t be managed through simple stress relieving techniques but needs support from qualified practitioners within the appropriate fields. For this reason, this article won’t be focusing on these at all in this blog but would recommend those who believe to be suffering from dental phobia to seek medical help through their dentist Liverpool or GP.
Where Does Dental Anxiety Come From?
With so many people struggling with dental anxiety, it’s interesting to understand where it comes from so we can cut off the birth of these troubles at the source. In most cases, it comes down to two main contenders. Firstly, the media feeds up poor images and negative storylines of the dentist, and second, we’re often fed the negative views and opinions of the dentist from older family members. What’s super important to acknowledge with both of these is that dentistry is an ever-evolving industry and the standards of care and practice are far higher now than they were even ten years ago, let alone when grandparents are young. Take a second to ask yourself, have you ever REALLY had a bad dentist experience? Or have you been told about them?
What You Can Do
There are a few techniques you can take up in order to help combat your dental anxiety. For the most part, they are pretty simple but can make a big difference to your mindset towards the dentist.
Breathe
One key source of self-soothing that we often forget and neglect to tap into as humans is our breath. Taking ten steady breaths in through the nose and out through the mouth engages the body in relaxation. If you’re feeling anxious, take a moment to breathe and steady yourself before making your next move.
Get comfortable
You don’t need to go to the dentist for the first time when you first book an appointment, go ahead of time and get used to the surroundings, a familiar place is easier to relax in and a relaxed body is easy to work with both for yourself and the dentist, making it an all-round better experience for all.
Take A Loved One
Isn’t it funny that as soon as we become “grown-ups” we stop asking for support when we need it from others? If you were going to a stressful doctor’s appointment, you might seek help, but for the dentist, you might not. Break the rules and take your loved one; support will help you through.
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