Anxiety can be a real deterrent in any aspect of someone’s life. However, anxiety about visiting the doctor, dentist, or prosthodontist can lead to a person missing out on great life changes that could be made for their wellbeing.
One of the biggest reasons we’ve seen for people not taking the leap into dental implants is the threat of dental anxiety. Let’s take a look at what this issue is, how it can be overcome, and why you should defeat it for the sake of your smile.
What is Dental Anxiety?
Dental anxiety, also known as dental phobia, are terms that refer to the unfounded fear and tenseness that some people have towards dental visits. Although many people have some anxiety about professional dental care, this form of anxiety produces an intense dread that can potentially keep patients away from essential visits, leading to potential risks to their oral health.
Reasons for Dental Anxiety
Dental anxiety can arise for several reasons, including:
- Fear of pain during an appointment
- Embarrassment surrounding the state of one’s smile
- Past experiences that resulted in pain and discomfort
- Fear of feeling helpless in the situation
Why is Dental Anxiety a Threat to Your Oral Health?
If the phobia is severe enough, one could easily put there smile at serious risk for dental problems in the future. Potential threats that often result from dental anxiety can range from slight discoloration to irreversible problems like early tooth loss and gum deterioration.
Sadly, most dental problems are preventable, and the avoidance of one’s oral health will eventually become even more painful and complex than ever before.
Fortunately, there are ways for patients to naturally lower their stress when preparing for an upcoming dental implant appointment.
How can You Overcome Your Anxiety?
Aside from talking it out and sharing your concerns with your oral surgeon, some approaches to staying calm during a visit include:
- Breathing exercises
- Listening to calming music or audio relaxation videos
- Eat a high-protein, low-caffeine meal before your appointment
- Read up on positive reviews and recommendations
At FastNewSmile® Dental Implant Center, we are prepared to help our patients become proud of their smile and show them that with the right care, getting dental implants can be a pleasant experience. Many of the patients who turn to us for help have had to overcome the immense anxiety that triggered the dental problems our dental implant surgery resolved.
Get Over Your Phobia and Into a FastNewSmile®, Today!
At FastNewSmile® Dental Implant Center we make your comfort our priority. We understand that the thought of oral surgery can be a frightening thought, but we guarantee that your new smile will be worth the effort. Get in touch with us today to schedule your consultation with our dental implant experts.