Managing Dental Anxiety: 4 Top Tips

Going to the dentist is something that many people get worried or nervous about – and it’s perhaps unsurprising, given that seeing the dentist is often associated with pain and discomfort. 

Even if you’re not having any significant dental work carried out, it can still be an anxiety-inducing experience, with bright lights shining in your face, strange implements poking and prodding your teeth and gums, and loud drilling, scratching and squeaking sounds. 

It’s hardly a shock that people often put off making dentist appointments.

However, it’s important to remember that you’re by no means alone if you do suffer from dental anxiety, with research showing that 40 per cent of adults have a phobia of the dentist, while one in ten have some form of extreme dental anxiety.

Do you have dental anxiety?

If you’re unsure as to whether you suffer in this regard or not, ask yourself if you feel faint and panicky, start sweating or have a pounding heart before an upcoming appointment. If the answer is yes, then it’s likely you’re suffering from dental anxiety.

Further research from King’s College London found that those who suffer from dental phobias (more than 11 per cent of the population) also experience poorer oral health and are also potentially more likely to receive basic dental care, with dental anxiety associated with more decayed and missing teeth.

Despite any anxiety you might be feeling, it’s vital that you do see a dentist regularly to keep on top of any problems before they become serious. 

Ideally, aim to see a dentist every six months for a check-up and consider having an annual scale and polish, where a dental hygienist will check the health of your gums and clear any plaque buildup on your teeth.

What is dental plaque?

Dental plaque is a sticky film of bacteria that can accumulate on your teeth without regular brushing and flossing. This plaque can cause tooth decay, which can then develop into a dental abscess, where pus develops in the teeth, gums and bones… which will need to be incised by a dentist in order to fully address the underlying infection.

You can buy amoxicillin to help you with your immediate symptoms, as well as painkillers like ibuprofen and paracetamol, but you will eventually need to make a dentist appointment for treatment if you have an abscess.

It’s vital that you don’t ignore dental abscesses. If left untreated, the bacteria causing the infection can lead to serious – and potentially life-threatening – complications, such as osteomyelitis (where bacteria enters the bloodstream and spreads to bone tissue), maxillary sinusitis, cysts, Ludwig’s angina and so on.

As such, working on your dental anxiety and doing your best to overcome it can make a huge difference to your general health and wellbeing, keeping all sorts of negative outcomes at bay.

How to manage dental anxiety

Dental anxiety can manifest for all sorts of reasons, whether that’s down to a previous bad experience, listening to other people’s negative experiences, the lack of control, drill noises, pain or injuries, injections and so on.

When you make a dentist appointment, always mention to the receptionist that you have anxiety so that they can make a note on your file and your dentist will be aware, putting any additional measures in place to make you feel comfortable and relaxed.

This could include talking you through the procedure step by step so you have a better idea of what to expect, as well as showing you the different implements that will be used to allay your fears in this regard, as well.

Mindfulness

Practising the art of mindfulness can also help you keep on top of your anxiety. The idea here is to draw your attention to your breath to keep yourself anchored in the present moment, allowing your fears and worries to fade into the background.

Square breathing is one way to achieve this. Breathe in for a count of four, hold your breath for a count of four, breathe out for a count of four, then hold your breath again for a count of four. Repeat the cycle.

The aim here is to pay attention to the sensation of the breath and how your body feels as you inhale and exhale, as well as how it feels when you hold the breath in. Thoughts will inevitably enter your mind but let them flow in and out without dwelling on them and without judgement, bringing your attention back to your breath each time.

This can prove very effective at keeping yourself calm before your dentist appointment, but you may want to find a different tactic for when you’re in the chair, as breathing exercises with your mouth open and the dentist looming over you might be tricky to achieve.

Guided imagery

Guided imagery is something you can do during your actual appointment, a relaxation technique that involves focusing intently on a positive scene or mental image, also known as visualisation or guided meditation.

The aim of this practice is to stimulate the natural relaxation response of the body, reducing your heart rate, lowering your blood pressure and slowing your breathing down.

Various studies indicate that it can help with pain relief, stress reduction and help with anxiety, suggesting that it might prove particularly beneficial for anyone dealing with dental phobias at the moment.

To get started with guided imagery, get yourself in a comfortable position, close your eyes and take some deep breaths to encourage the body to relax. 

Visualise a calm and peaceful place, whether that’s your garden, a coastal location, rolling hills or something else, then add in more details and try to target all your senses, from smell and sight to touch and taste.

Stay in the scene for as long as you need to really feel the calmness it is trying to deliver… and remember that you can return to it as many times as you need to.

For those of you with severe dental anxiety, however, it may be that a general anaesthesia is required during a procedure… but it’s generally advisable to try other avenues for phobia management before considering this as an option.