Fear of the Dentist and Getting Your Teeth Into the Solution
December 29, 2008Tons of people suffer from a fear of the dentist, even more so if they haven’t gone in a long time. It’s quite common for people to avoid the dentist altogether and allow their dental hygiene to go down the tube, as their gums develop gingivitis and teeth begin to decay and abscess.
There are many methods used nowadays that help overcome the anxiety associated with dentist visits. A survey by the British Dental Association found that 25% of people feared visiting the dentist.
Fear of the dentist can vary from mild to extreme. Fearing what you don’t know is the most common fear. Dental fear is a reaction to a danger that you know about. A bad experience as a child while at the dentist, such as pain, vomiting, etc, is more than likely the cause of your dental fears now. The worst is dental phobia, which is an extreme fear of the dentist that usually stems from a painful experience as a youth.
So what may you be frightened of?
A fear of needles
A fear of dental instruments in your mouth
The worry you might vomit
Unsympathetic dentists
Bad childhood experiences
Fear of the drill
Fear of anaesthetic
Feeling vulnerable
There are three factors that tend to keep your fear of the dentist going.
Sensitisation (you find it difficult going to the dentist)
Avoidance (you stop going to the dentist)
Negative, distorted self talk (which terrifies you)
When a person learns to associate their extreme anxiety to the dentist or the dentist’s office, a dental phobia results. If panic suddenly arises while you pick up the phone to make the appointment, or when you are on your way to the dentists, you may start feeling anxious every time you’re in one of these situations. Becoming sensitized means that the mere thought of the dentist may be enough to trigger anxiety automatically.
Once you experience sensitivity you might be inclined to avoid the circumstance. Avoiding the issue is great,it saves you from being stressed out. The best way to hang on to your phobias or fears is to avoid them altogether. This holds you back from getting a grip on them.
The third factor that perpetuates fears of going to the dentist, is distorted self talk. The greater the anxiety you feel in anticipation of the object of your fear, the greater the likelihood that you will have an unproductive inner conversation about it. You may have an overactive imagination when it comes to fear of dentist visits. Both the negative self talk and negative image serve to perpetuate your fears, guaranteeing that you remain afraid. You can never get over your fear because your confidence is undermined. If you strip away the bad images and the self-defeating rhetoric, you’ll be that much closer to getting over your fear and being able to visit the dentist without any anxiety or stress.
This is where Hypnotherapy Plymouth can help you. Hympnotherapy can eliminate all kinds of anxieties and fears in a calming, comfortable fashion.
If you find an understanding dentist and visit regular, with each visit you will experience less anxiety until it diminishes, and the greatest advantage of all will be that you will have beautiful white teeth and sweet smelling breath.
A good dentist and great Plymouth hypnotherapist helped to cure me of the fear of the dentist that had bothered me for many years.
Ask your friends and colleagues if they can recommend a dentist who looks after anxious patients A dentist who is a good listener can go a long way towards relieving your anxieties. It’s vital to discuss both the fears and concerns you have with your dentist and that you are comfortable doing so. There are many things a person can do to release anxiety.
Relaxation and distraction techniques
Pain free injection
Sedation
Listening carefully to you, giving you time
Explaining the procedures
You may wonder how hypnosis will assist you in overcoming your fear.
This is only one of many issues which Hypnotherapy Plymouth can help a person to deal with.
Hypnotherapists utilize a variety of means to help cure you of your phobia, often including NLP.
The session will generally be begun with relaxation and breathing techniques, and then therapy regarding changing negative self talk to more positive and settled thinking. You will also picture the process of telephoning in an appointment, imagining your own calm and confidence as you perform the act, as well as your composure in the time directly before the appointment.
You will imagine going into the dental surgery for a check up, all the time feeling strong and safe, and when you think of dentists and drills you will feel calm and in control, and you will see yourself leaving the surgery feeling a surge of confidence and elation.
You’ll never have to address the issue again, and you’ll smile more confidently knowing that you can be proud of your teeth and your breath.