6 Dental Anxiety Solutions You Should Know About in Jupiter

If the thought of sitting in a dental chair makes your palms start to sweat, you’re not alone. Approximately 10% of people experience dental anxiety, which can make scheduling appointments feel next to impossible.1 Share your nerves with your dentist in Jupiter, as they have several ways to help make the visit less overwhelming. Read on to learn about some of the tactics they can use to reduce your dental anxiety.

Understanding dental anxiety

When you're in a situation that you perceive as stressful or dangerous, your body triggers a fight-or-flight response to prepare for the threat.2 Often, without realizing it, you start to breathe more quickly, your heart rate increases, and your muscles tense.3 

Although a trip to the dentist is not a survival situation, for many people, these physical responses are triggered simply by thinking about the dentist. This persistent worry, fear, or apprehension about going to the dentist is known as dental anxiety.4 

Unfortunately, if you have severe dental anxiety, this fear can cause you to delay treatment (or worse, not go to the dentist at all). This just creates a vicious cycle, as poor oral health can cause pain, requiring more complex and lengthy treatments, such as a root canal, crown, or dental bridges, when you finally do visit the dentist.5

Solutions for dental anxiety

There are several options to help manage your anxiety, from deep breathing to muscle relaxation exercises, or even medication:

1. Deep breathing

Taking deep breaths can help to slow down your breathing, reduce your heart rate, and make you feel more relaxed.6 Deep breathing intentionally signals to your vagus nerve that you are safe and reduces (or prevents) your body’s natural responses to stress.7

To practice deep breathing, place one hand on your stomach and slowly breathe in, feeling your lungs expand with air. Hold for a few seconds, and then slowly breathe out, feeling your lungs deflate. Continue this cycle for another few rounds of breath, going gently and stopping if you feel dizzy or faint.

2. Progressive muscle relaxation

Another technique is progressive muscle relaxation, where you tighten and relax different muscle groups one at a time.8 This allows you to notice the tension releasing from each area clearly. Incorporating progressive muscle relaxation into your daily routine, as well as practicing 15 minutes before a visit to the dentist, can help reduce dental anxiety.9

To practice progressive muscle relaxation, lie or sit down and try to relax your body. Then, starting with your toes, and slowly moving up through the different muscles until the face, tense your muscles one by one for a few seconds each, before gently releasing.

3. Listening to music

Listening to music, a podcast, or binaural beats is another effective way to reduce dental anxiety.10 The positive effects of listening in particular to classical music, either before or during dental treatment, have been shown, though different people sometimes respond better to different styles of music.11 See what type of music relaxes you the most, and then take along some headphones the next time you visit the dentist.

4. Distracting yourself

In addition to listening to music, there are other ways to distract your mind from the treatment taking place. Many dentists have TV screens that either pull out from the wall or are installed on the ceiling, so you can watch a TV show or movie during the procedure. Other people bring along a stress ball or fidget spinner to both distract themselves and enable a physical outlet for their stress.

5. Aromatherapy

Aromatherapy is a type of alternative medicine that involves either smelling or massaging essential oils into your skin.12 Inhaling lavender oil before a dental intervention has been demonstrated to lower heart rate, blood pressure, perception of pain, and feelings of anxiety.13

The bottom line

Dental anxiety is common, but by practicing deep breathing, relaxation techniques, distracting yourself, or using aromatherapy, you can feel more confident about scheduling that dental appointment. If you’ve been delaying care, consider searching for a “dentist near me” online and starting a conversation about your anxieties. With the right support, you can get your oral health back on track.