Tips for Helping to Relieve Your Dental Phobias

A few steps that can help you feel comfortable with your new dentist that is committed to helping you overcome your phobia include the following:

1. Meet Your Dentist Prior to the First Treatment: Sit down and have a consultation with the dentist. Talk about your fears and concerns, and see in which ways he/she will help address your personal concerns. Ask any questions you may have about their dental policies and procedures as this time as well.
2. Be Upfront About Your Dental Phobia: Explain what you are feeling and how your phobias effect you seeking help for your dental needs. Any dentist who wants to help will not laugh at or scoff you, they will welcome the honest openness of your discussion and want to help.
3. Bring a Family Member/Friend with You for Moral Support: Bringing someone you trust who does not have a phobia of dentists can help you make the whole thin seem more reasonable. They can put the treatment in perspective and help you remain calm during your new experience.
4. Ask About Modifications: Some dentists can make modifications to treatments or the way they are administered to help you feel more at ease. Just ask!
5. Consider Changing Dentists: If the dentist seems unwilling to help you find a solution to your problem then it might be time to look for a dentist who will help! Same goes for dentists who may find your fears “comical” or “entertaining”. There is nothing funny about it, so possibly looking for someone who can take you seriously is in order.
6. Use Noise-Cancelling Headphones: If the sounds of dental tools grating on the surfaces of your teeth makes your skin crawl request to use headphones while the dentist is performing the procedure. Losing yourself in the music can help you forget about what is happening. It can block those terrible noises that can make your skin crawl as well!
7. Talk About Pain Management Options: If you need more detailed dental work like root canal or cavity that needs to be filled talk to your dentist about ways to manage pain that you may feel during the experience. If you have had this experienced in the past, ask if there is a way they can guarantee you are not feeling pain. If you feel pain during this procedure, ask for a signal to stop the procedure till the pain is addressed.
8. Stay Halfway Up in the Chair: Possibly ask the dentist to only put the chair halfway back if you feel laying in the supine position makes you feel vulnerable. Many dentists will be able to comply

All of these tips, and finding a dentist who is happy to accommodate can help make your entire experience the next time you go to the dentist something that is bearable. If you have children try not to pass that fear of the dentist on to them. Talk about the benefits/perks of regular dental care (i.e. oral health, avoiding cavities, keeping your natural teeth, etc.). Take the children to their dentist for the first time when they are young so they are able to grow up with regular dental care to ensure they are not fearful as they age. If you have questions regarding this article or would like to learn more about us visit our website or call us 909-465-1016. The Ramona Dentistry Team “Where Family Comes First”