Fear of the Dentist | Tips & Guide

You have to go to the dentist again... whether it's for a checkup or major dental work, few people enjoy this experience. There are so many parts of a dental visit that can be painful or scary, including needles, something in your mouth and of course, the dreaded drill.

You can also relieve tooth ache naturally if you're not able to get into a dentist straight away. 40 ways to naturally stop toothache.

However, there are a few things you can do to make your trip more bearable. Whether this is the first visit you've made to the dentist or you are a regular, keep reading to find out ways to de-stress and prepare before your visit.

If you have a regular dentist that you like - good for you. However, not everyone is so on top of their dental work. If you've left it for a few years or don't like your current dentist here are some tips for choosing one:

• See if you can talk to the dentist in person or on the phone.
• Choose a more experienced dentist - a younger dentist may not have the experience to deal with any fear or problems you have.
• Choose a dentist in a small practice - if you goto a large dental centre you may get less personal care and be forced to see a different dentist each visit. A smaller practice dentist will be more likely to remember you and help you deal with your fears.

You need to decide, first of all, what part of seeing the dentist scares you most. For some people it can be:

• Gag reflex - This is a more serious problem if the dental care is at the bottom or back of the mouth. Ask your dentist if there is any special tongue numbing spray they can use OR if they can offer you a tongue shield during the procedure.
• Needles - If you have a fear of needles check if there's anything you can take first - such as a relaxant so the fear won't cause the needle to hurt more.
• Loss of control - Ask the dentist if you can set up a simple sign language to use during the procedure. If you simply make noises the dentist won't know if you're in pain or just need to swallow. Consider using one raised hand for pain and another for discomfort or needing to swallow.
• General fear - Think about using some of the above options, as well as thinking about how you'd like to approach the problem. Some people would like to know what's going on at all times - other people prefer to wait for the local anaesthetic to kick in, close their eyes and think about something else. 

Ask your dentist if it's possible to use some type of relaxant before your procedure, such as valium. This way you will be more relaxed and more able to handle the fear - and the fear is one of the major hurdles to conquer in your trip to the dentist!

If... despite your best efforts... you can't stand the idea of being in a dentist chair long enough to get any work done, or have a great deal or work that needs to be done you may consider going under general anaesthetic.

You'll need to check with your dentists - not all will perform dental surgery. It can also be quite expensive but also the only option for some people with severe gag reflexes or phobia or needles or just anything in their mouths.