If you have a fear of the dentist, you’re not alone. This anxiety or fear is sometimes because you have had a bad and/or painful experience in the past. Dental technology is improving constantly, and when going to your dentist, you may notice things are much “nicer or improved” since you were a child.
Symptoms of dental anxiety/phobia include: trouble sleeping the night before an appointment, increased nervousness while in the waiting room, panicking while instruments are in your mouth during a visit, and feeling like crying when going to the dentist.
The key to coping with your dental fear is to let your dentist know. Once your dentist knows what your fears are, they will be able to work with you to determine the best ways to make you feel less anxious and make you more comfortable. You can have your dentist explain what is going to happen at every appointment so you can mentally prepare yourself.
Occasionally, the use of medications to reduce stress and anxiety is what is truly needed in order to get an individual over “the hump” of their dental phobia.
It is also very important that you find a dentist that you truly trust and feel comfortable with; you need to have 100% confidence in your dentist.