What Is Dental Anxiety? Here Are Some Tips To Deal With It

One should follow healthy dental practices other than just brushing twice a day. It is often advised to visit your dentist to prevent the risk of dental issues. Many are not aware of dental issues and often choose to ignore minor dental discomforts. Dental issues are quite painful. Some also fear visiting a dentist due to dental anxiety. It is a term used to describe fear, anxiety, and stress in a dental setting. It is also called dental phobia which can make you avoid going to the dentist and you usually cannot do anything about it.

What is dental anxiety?

Dr. Gunita Singh who is a dentist explains, “Dental anxiety is a term used to describe certain anxiety or fear associated with visiting a dentist. People with this fear usually are scared of a dentist and dental set up. The severity may vary from person to person. This is generally due to some past experience of the individual or their loved ones.”

Tips to manage dental anxiety

1. It is important to learn the need to pay regular visits to your dentist to ward off potential risks. It is essential for adults as well as children. Don’t scare your children with the name of a doctor

2. You need to trust your dentist to fight with this anxiety. You may also ask your dentist about the whole procedure to understand it better.

3. You should also prepare yourself mentally before going through a dental procedure

You should follow healthy oral practices to avoid dental issues. Brush your teeth twice a day and do not skip flossing. Also, gargle after consuming a meal. These can help you avoid unnecessary dental issues.

(Dr. Gunita Singh is a Dentist and Director at Dentem)

Disclaimer: This content including advice provides generic information only. It is in no way a substitute for a qualified medical opinion. Always consult a specialist or your own doctor for more information. NDTV does not claim responsibility for this information.