How to Manage Being Scared and Stressed at the Dentist

Nervous About Your Appointment at Black Hills Dentures & Implants?

If you get anxious about going to the dentist, you’re not alone. Not by a long shot. Some studies show nearly three-fourths of American adults experience anxiety or outright fear when they even think about visiting the dentist. About 1 in 10 Americans experience enough fear to classify it as a phobia. It’s okay. We at Black Hills Dentures & Implants know going to the dentist can be scary!

But avoiding dental care as a result of dental anxiety can result in serious consequences for you and your teeth. Even if you’re nervous about going to the dentist, it’s extremely important to do what’s necessary to keep your mouth clean and healthy.

We want all of our Rapid City patients to be as comfortable as possible when they visit our office, so we do everything we can to give our guests a comfortable, calming environment. But there are a few things you can do on your own to help make your visit a little easier.

1. Talk with your dentist

If you’re stressed about your upcoming visit to our Rapid City office, one of the best things you can do is talk with us about it. Having a clear understanding of what your visit will be like – even visualizing what will occur during your appointment – can do wonders. It’s possible we can make special accommodations to make things more comfortable for you. You’re not the first person who’s been worried about a visit to your dentist’s office, and you won’t be the last! We’re here to help.

2. Plan your appointment well

Yes, life is stressful. But you don’t need the stress of life to cause extra anxiety during your dental appointment. If you’re already nervous about your visit, it won’t help to carry in the anxiety of a bad day at work. Plan your appointment for a day when you don’t have anything big going on outside of our office.

Of course, at Black Hills Dentures & Implants we know that isn’t always possible. Dental emergencies can happen at any time. If you can’t plan it, then the next best thing is to breathe, and trust that wherever you go for emergency treatment will do everything they can to help you feel better as soon as possible. We know it isn’t possible for everyone to like the dentist, but we hope you at least have a dentist you can trust.

3. Take deep breaths

We all know that deep, relaxing breaths can help reduce our stress, but sometimes we need a reminder. If you’re feeling anxiety about your visit as you drive to our office or you begin feeling fear as you sit in our waiting room, begin by taking a deep breath in, holding it for a second, and slowly letting it out. That’s the most basic start toward relaxation, and it works for almost any situation. Continue practicing deep, relaxed breathing throughout your visit.

Whatever the cause of your anxiety over a visit to our office for your cleaning or other dental procedure, we can manage it together. We want all our patients to be as comfortable as possible, and we want you to look at your visit to the dentist as a good thing. If you have any questions about a dental procedure, or if there is something we can do to ease your worry, call us. We’ll work as a team to keep your next visit stress-free!

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