A recent article from Harvard Medical School is highlighting exactly what you should do if you have dental anxiety – and the benefits of curbing this anxiety before it’s too late.
Dental anxiety, or odontophobia, strikes an estimated 75 percent of American adults to some degree. While some cases are more severe than others, odontophobia is still very real and can be extremely damaging.
That’s because in addition to what it does to your psyche, odontophobia can wreak havoc on your oral health, too. Odontophobia can keep you from attending regular dental checkups and make you avoid much-needed emergency appointments when you experience pain. This in turn can allow whatever is causing the pain to worsen, increasing the odds that you’ll need a lengthier procedure when you finally do visit the dentist.
Thankfully, Dr. Abelar has some valuable tips on how to reduce your fears:
Talk to Us!
If you have any kind of pain or anxiety, speak to Dr. Abelar so he can brainstorm some ways to help reduce your anxiety. Whether it’s nitrous oxide, or “laughing gas,” or another prescription medication, there are ways to make you calmer and more comfortable in the dental chair.
Breathe
Teaching yourself breathing exercises or meditation techniques is another suggestion from the Harvard article. This can help you reduce feelings of stress and anxiety, and it doesn’t just help in the dental clinic – you can use it in everyday situations outside of your dental appointment!
Seek the Help of Professionals
It may seem like a big deal to attend therapy over dental fears, but therapy is a great way to reduce fear and anxiety in all aspects of your life. Remember, dental fear is very real and nothing to be ashamed of – and neither is attending therapy.
Take Care of Your Teeth
This goes without saying, but the better job we do caring for our teeth, the lower the risk of painful and invasive treatments down the road. That being said, if you have dental fears and are experiencing pain or can see visible decay on your teeth, now is the time to deal with it. Use these tips to help you summon the courage to overcome your fears and come in for an exam as soon as possible.
If this sounds like you, give Dr. Abelar’s office a call and let’s see what we can do to allay your fears and get you feeling like yourself again. We can be reached at 858-523-1400.
