Do you have dentist trauma? Check out 6 tips for dealing with your fears

Despite all the developments in medicine and dentistry, there are still quite a few people who have trauma or fear of going to the dentist. This myth that a simple office visit is related to pain is a thing of the past, but still many feed this wrong image into their minds.

Currently, there are a number of dental products focused on minimizing any discomfort the patient may feel when sitting in a dentist's chair. Not even a dental device that has long been viewed as a piece of torture is an excuse for you to skip appointments!

In this article, we have listed some reasons for you to overcome this unjustifiable fear of going to the dentist while maintaining the necessary care with your oral health. You will find that everything is simpler than it seems and that the image you made of dentists in the past no longer exists.

1 - Understand your fear

The first point to note is simple: why are you afraid to go to the dentist? One must think rationally about this. The number of people who claim to be afraid of going to the dentist without ever having gone is a large number. This is because many let themselves be taken by the popular imagination, which still conveys an idea of ​​ancient times, when dentistry was more rudimentary.

Nowadays there is nothing to fear. Ideally, first of all, talk to the dentist and expose to him your insecurity about any pain. The dental professionals are fully qualified to proceed with the necessary treatments as pleasantly as possible.

2 - Talk Openly with the Dentist

If you have any specific fear, write down on a paper the reasons why you feel uncomfortable in the office and talk to the professional. It may be, for example, that your bad memories are associated with the specific work of a professional and not the technique used in a particular treatment.

Also remember that dentistry has evolved a lot in recent years, so many dental products used today are not the same as five or ten years ago. This may be why all the issues you feared have already been resolved. Or even better: maybe the treatment that so frightens you isn't even necessary.

3 - Ask the dentist to describe the procedures

After the first consultation phase has passed, it is time to begin treatment. At this time, it is ideal that you have a good synergy with the professional who is serving you. Ask him to describe the procedures one by one while conducting the treatment. Understanding the whys of each gesture will surely make you more comfortable and at ease.

If you feel any pain or discomfort, tell the dentist immediately so that he or she can take a break or, if possible, take even more care during the procedures. However, remember that even if there is some kind of pain, it is transient and the end result will surely pay off.

4 - Use relaxation techniques

Knowing that some people get a little tense during treatment, many dentists suggest the use of nitrous oxide, sedatives or anxiety control drugs such as alprazolam, for example. However, before taking any medicine, talk to your dentist and see if there is a need.

If you decide to take any of these medicines, tell your dentist your health history, such as the medicines you already take and any allergies or illnesses you have. In any case, certainly, at the time of treatment, the chances that you feel some kind of pain are getting smaller and there is nothing to worry about.

5 - Use distracting elements

If none of this makes you comfortable with a dental appliance, another suggestion is to seek entertainment during treatment. Some clinics offer relaxing music headsets or even tablets with movies and series so you can keep yourself entertained while the pro does the work.

These techniques aim to make the environment more relaxed and eliminate possible tensions, making you relax and “forget” that you are in a medical-hospital environment. These elements work very well with children and most adults, so it's worth a try.

6 - Increase the frequency of dental visits and celebrate good results.

The more often you go to the dentist, the less likely you are to have a more serious problem, which greatly facilitates treatment. In other words, those who are more careful with their oral hygiene “suffer” less at the hands of professionals.

If the fear of attending a dentist's office is haunting you, allow yourself a reward each time you get over a new stage. You can buy yourself, for example, a book or DVD, a gift that makes sense to you each time you leave an appointment without pain or discomfort. This helps your brain associate the dentist's trip with pleasant sensations, which will surely lessen your psychological blocks on the subject.

* Advice.