A dental visit can be a highly emotional experience. Often, it is our first experience in the dentist chair that shapes our attitudes towards the dental profession, dental treatment and even our own dental health. Can you recall your first dental visit? Was it a pleasant one, or was is traumatic?
Whether our fear of the dentist is deep-rooted in our earliest experiences or in our overall psychological make-up, the essential step to recovery is to break the cycle of trauma associated with dental visits.
If you wait to see a dentist until you have a toothache, you run the risk of facing a root canal treatment or an extraction. If you never see the same dentist twice, you do not give yourself a chance to develop a trusting relationship before you require any major dental work. The unfamiliarity of seeing a new dentist when you have a toothache is often more uncomfortable and worrying than the treatment itself.
If you see a dentist regularly for check-ups and cleanings, and give yourself time to get to know the person treating you, you will feel more comfortable in the dentist’s hands. You may not come into the office skipping with joy, but you will slowly get used to the idea of receiving regular dental care (and avoid toothaches and major dental work).
I often see anxious patients, and can offer guidance to make your dental visit a more comfortable one. The most important thing to consider is that, as a healthcare professional, my number one priority is your well-being. My dental team takes your health into our hands and we achieve this through education, continuous support and reassurance. We walk you through all the steps, take our time, and ease you into a routine where all you’ll need from us is a six month check-up and cleaning.
To learn more about overcoming dental anxiety or to schedule your first dental visit, please visit Dr. Josh Berd at www.JoshTheDentist.com
