Visiting your dentist should be part of your yearly routine, not just when you have aches, pains, or other dental issues that need correcting. Regular visits to the dentist can locate and even correct cavities before they spread, and can help you reduce the chances you’ll get dental diseases such as gingivitis. Many people put off these important visits due to anxiety about visiting their dentist. Some people may have had a negative experience, while others may simply feel a vague sense of anxiety walking through the door. Here are a few tips and tricks on how to handle anxiety when visiting old town Chicago dentists.
Speak To The Clinic Over The Phone
It’s important to communicate your anxieties to your dental team well ahead of time. This way, they can help address whatever may specifically be worrying you. In some cases, simply knowing everything that will occur during the visit may help calm you down, as many people find it’s the sense of the uncertain that brings them the most anxiety. In other cases, knowing that the dentist you will see knows about, and understands, your fears may be enough to reduce them.
Bring Headphones
In many cases, the procedure you’ll undergo requires little verbal input from you. If that happens to be the case, ask about bringing a pair of headphones and a music or audio listening device, such as your smartphone, into the appointment with you. While the procedure is being completed, you can listen to favorite music, relaxing tunes, or even the latest audiobook to help keep your mind engaged, and off of whatever may be worrying you.
Breathe
Regardless of the procedure that you’re having done, it’s always incredibly important to breathe. Not only does breathing suppress any nausea that may accompany your anxiety, it helps keep your heart rate steady, your blood pressure stable, and your nerves much calmer. Many people find themselves holding their breath without noticing it when they are in heightened states of anxiety, so be sure to consciously remember to breathe throughout the procedure. It may help to count your breaths, to give your mind something to do other than worry about the procedure.
