For many people, going to the dentist is a stressful and nerve-wracking experience. If you feel that way, you’re certainly not alone. Surveys estimate that dental phobia affects 13% to 24% of people around the world so there are a lot of people who could use some advice on how to stay calm at the dentist. Here are some simple things you can do to calm your nerves and relax at the dentist.
1. Plan Ahead
Plan some spare time ahead of your appointment to avoid having to rush around before your visit. When you feel rushed and flustered right before your appointment that stress and anxiety is going to carry over. Plan to arrive early and listen to some soothing, relaxing music. Sit in your car for a few minutes and do some breathing exercises or do some meditation with an app like Calm or Headspace.
2. Avoid Sugar & Caffeine
If you’re wondering how to calm nerves before dentist visits, you should definitely avoid sugar and caffeine intake before your appointment. Drinking excess coffee or eating sugary foods can make you feel jittery which will just make your anxiety even worse.
3. Use Distractions
At the Silverstrom Group office, we go out of our way to make our dental suite comfortable and relaxing for you. You’ll have access to on-demand video with headphones so you can zone out and catch up on your favorite TV shows or watch that movie you’ve been meaning to see. Distractions like this can really help take your mind off of your treatment and we find that they’re very helpful to people who are concerned about how to relax at the dentist.
Before you know it, your exam and treatment will be over and you’ll head to our relaxation room. You’ll feel like you’re in a spa as you settle in for some aromatherapy. You’ll pick up a few hot towels and freshen up so that you can walk out our office looking and feeling good.
4. Let Us Know
It’s all good and well to know how to stay calm at the dentist but if you’re feeling anxious or nervous, let us know! We see nervous patients every day and if you talk to us before your treatment and let us know that you’re uncomfortable or anxious, we can tailor our care to help you relax more. For instance, some patients want to know exactly what we do before we do it and as long as we know that, we can keep them informed and relaxed so there are no surprises.
If you’re in the middle of an exam or treatment and you’re feeling pain, let us know! You don’t have to power through the pain and there may be things we can do to make it easier and less painful for you. Many people think they have to just deal with pain but there are things we can do to alleviate any pain and avoid causing you any further pain — you just have to let us know.
If you’re looking for a more relaxing environment we encourage you to stop by and see for yourself what makes us unique among dental practices. We are certain that once you have experienced The Silverstrom Group office, you will never think about visiting the dentist the same way again. Contact us today and allow us to introduce you to the most pleasant, comfortable, educational, and fulfilling dental experience you’ve ever had!
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