Thousands of people are afraid of going to the dentist. It is estimated that 5-8% of Americans avoid the dentist entirely because of this fear. Another 20% will go to the dentist only if they absolutely need dental treatment. At Smile Reef we want to make sure that your children do not develop a fear of the dentist. Many times the best way to help children not be afraid of the dentist is to help their parents overcome their fear of the dentist. So today we are going to help you start to consider how you can get over any fear that you may have.
Why are People Scared to Go to the Dentist?
There are multiple different reasons that people are afraid of the dentist. Some people hate the feeling of losing control. They feel like being in the dentist chair with people looking inside their mouths takes their control away. Not wanting to experience pain can also be another reason that people do not want to go to the dentist. Many people are embarrassed to go to the dentist because they do not want the dentist to see their mouth. They feel like their teeth are not perfect and they do not want anyone to see them up close. One of the largest reasons that people are afraid to go to the dentist is because of past experiences that were bad. If people have had dentist appointments in the past where they have had extreme pain or complications they can develop a fear of going back. So if you have a fear of going to the dentist how do you go about getting over it? We have some tips for you to consider trying to help you get yourself back to the dentist on a regular basis.
Recognize & Identify Your Fears
Become you can overcome any fear you have to be able to identify what the emotion is. Think about the reasons above for why people may have developed a fear of the dentist. Do any of those ring true for you? If not you may have another reason for not wanting to go to the dentist. Some other common reasons are a fear or needles or a fear of the drill. Knowing what exact fear can help you try and overcome and it can help the dentist know how you to help deal with it.
Choose the Right Dentist
Just like every human is different, so is every dentist. You will want to choose a dentist who can listen to your fears and help you overcome them. If you do not feel like your dentist can help you with this, try a different dentist. At Smile Reef we believe that most kids benefit from seeing a pediatric dentist. Family dentists are amazing but they do not always see many children and sometime they do not know how to deal with them.
Bring a Friend to the Dentist
Having a fear of the dentist can be overwhelming. You may want to consider bringing someone you feel extremely comfortable with you to your appointment. Having someone you feel comfortable with at your appointment can help you overcome the feeling of being overwhelmed. You will want to make sure that your friend that you bring is not afraid of the dentist themselves.
Pediatric Dentistry in Las Vegas, Nevada
Having something else to think about while you are in the dentist chair can help you forget about your fear of the dentist. You may want to consider listening to music, playing with a stress ball, or counting in your head. We hope that these tips will help you overcome your fear of the dentist. As you know our children learn from our example more than our words. If they can see you going to the dentist regularly they will not be as anxious about it themselves.
