You are not alone if you fear going to the dentist, or even when you just think about it! Whatever the reason is, the right dental team should be able to help manage your dental fear and emotional health. One thing is for sure, the more you delay going, the greater the risk you have for tooth problems.
There are a few things that you can do as a patient to help ease your anxiety at your next appointment. Many patients will bring their own headphones to drown out any external sound, which can be very helpful. Finding other things to focus on can help as well, such as squeezing a stress ball or even just “imagining your happy place”. Also, try deep breathing exercises to help to relax tension in your muscles. Finally, always speak up about your fear and let your dentist know; this way we can be sure to answer all of your questions.
At Premier Smile Center, we make sure you are as comfortable as possible and have a few strategies to help you cope as well. The first thing we do is LISTEN to you. Patients have different reasons they are afraid. Some reasons are from a bad experience, judgement by another dentist, embarrassment about their dental condition, fear of the pain etc. No matter the reason, we will help you through them with kindness, caring, encouragement and comfort. At first we may need to take it slow and ease you into trusting us.
We have neck pillows and blankets for your comfort. TV screens for your Netflix or music pleasure. When it comes to those awful needles, Dr. Johnson offers pain-free dental injections! We also offer conscious sedation in-house with the use of Nitrous Oxide (laughing gas) and oral sedation to provide that extra sense of relief and help you feel more calm.
At Premier Smile Center in Fort Lauderdale, we take dental anxiety seriously and we will work with you to help ease your dental fear. Contact our office to schedule your next dental appointment.
