You may be the kind of person that experiences extreme anxiety or stress before you visit your dentist. It's very important to get semi-annual cleanings and inspections, so you will need to find a way to deal with this problem for the sake of your oral health. There are several ways that you can deal with dental phobia, and these tips will help you through it.

Bring A Distraction

A major source of stress in the dentist office is when you start focusing on everything that they are doing. Consider bringing along a distraction that will help you avoid paying attention to these things, which makes you feel less stress in the process. For example, you can listen to music on your smart phone to drown out the sounds of the dentist office. You can also bring dark sunglasses that will help limit your vision if your eyes are open. If something works for you, don't be afraid to use it during your visit. Your dentist will appreciate anything that makes you more at ease with what they are doing.

Use Relaxation Techniques

Another method that can make you more at ease is using relaxation techniques. Unfortunately, you can't do yoga while in the dental chair, so you need to get creative with what you are doing to relax. You can try mediation or controlled breathing as an effective way to calm you down and become more comfortable with the situation. Doing these kinds of activities should slow your heart rate down and help you loosen your muscles. Overall, you should feel more relaxed.

Visit A Specialist

There are dentist out there that specialize with people that have dental phobia. It is a common occurrence with patients, and it could cause the entire dental experience to be completely different for you. For example, they may make the waiting room much more calm and soothing, with it not even resembling what the usual dental office looks like. They may also take additional steps to make sure the sights and sounds that trigger fear in patients are not around.

These dentists will also work at a slower pace, and can even talk you through the entire procedure to ensure that you don't have any surprise that cause unpleasant feelings. They also may be more willing to use sedation techniques for basic procedures to assist you with getting through them.

You fear of the dentist doesn't have to lead to neglecting your oral health. Ask your dentist about additional ways to ease anxiety about your visit.