Are you scared of visiting the dentist? Well, worry not because you certainly are not alone. There are millions of people in this world who get unnerved by the idea of visiting a Dentist even for a simple check-up and maybe professional cleaning.

I personally was a victim of dental phobia in my early childhood days but I soon overcome the Fear. I hope that sharing my experience will help you overcome the fear as well and get more comfortable with your dentist.

The sole reason why I hated the idea of visiting Dentists back then, was because of the first experience I ever had in the hands of a dentist. I call myself unlucky because the first time I had to visit a dentist, it was because there was tartar clogged up in my molars and it had to be professionally removed by a dentist. My mother always ensured that we observed a fastidious oral hygiene and it therefore came as a surprise to her that my teeth were beginning to decay. She planned a visit to the family dentist who I was meeting for the first time when I was almost 15 years old. To cut the long story short, the dentist’s drilling machine scared the hell out of me. Although I was under an anaesthetic, I could hear the bits drill into my enamel as the dentist tried to dislodge the tartar. The hot smell that emanated from the drilling still lingers in my mind and every time I think about it, I feel nostalgic because it reminds me of events that happened over twenty years ago. I generally didn’t enjoy my first dental visit and this changed my perspective of the dentists completely.
I viewed them as scary people who didn’t care about our pain and were just looking to inflict more misery into our lives. I mean who drills mercilessly into someone’s enamel for more than ten minutes without cringing? Looking at the numerous pairs of scissors, tongs and many other surgical items on their tray, one cannot help but feel a little intimidated. As time went by though, my big brother went through medical school, became a dentist and this changed everything. The more I interacted with him as a dentist, the more I realized how harmless they were. I started attending some of his surgeries and this made me feel more at home. Twenty years later, I am working with dentists every single day and am not scared of them anymore. So, is dental phobia justified? If you are scared of dentists, what can you do to overcome the fear? Here are tips to help you overcome the fear

Tips to overcoming dental phobia

1. Acknowledge your fear

The first step towards overcoming the fear of visiting a dentist, is to appreciate the fact that you are actually scared of the dentist and his tools of trade. Acknowledging this fact will help you prepare yourself to overcome the fears.

2. Root cause of your phobia

Why did you start to fear dentists in the first place? Like in my case, I feared the dentist because of the first drilling experience that I had. Understanding the main reason why you developed the fear will give you an edge in confronting the fears. You can’t start tackling something yet you don’t know the root cause.

3. Embrace the fact that dentists are there to help you

Imagine what my life would have been today if the tartar would not have been dislodged! Imagine the amount of pain you would go through with that cavity if the dentist was not there for you! We often concentrate on the negative side of the story and forget completely about the positive impacts of the dentists in our lives. Think of dentists as pain relievers and you will start respecting and appreciating them more.

4. Make friends with a dentist or someone who works with dentist.

My elder brother becoming a dentist helped me completely changed the perception I had towards dentists. Because I had grown with him and knew him as a harmless person, it was easy to transfer the thought on all the other dentists. Equally, if you are experiencing fears just talk to your personal dentist and strike a conversation that is not related to dentistry. The more used you are to the dentist, the more confident you become.

5. Change dentists

Sometimes, a switch in the family dentist might do the trick. If you are having trouble getting comfortable with your current dentist, try a new one. The lack of bond between you and your current might be felling your fears.

If you are in Houston and are suffering from dental phobia, then we have good news for you here at Vita Dental Houston. We have a team of friendly and professional dentists who will help you overcome your fears and all in love with dentistry once again. Give us a call today and book an appointment to talk to one of our professional dentists and in no time, your phobia will be gone.

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