Visiting the dentist is essential to keep your teeth healthy and detect any issues with your oral health. However, for some people visiting the dentist is an anxiety-provoking experience. In some cases, dental anxiety can be severe and become a phobia. The phobia of visiting the dentist is known as dentophobia and is something that affects a great many people. Whether you have a mild fear of visiting the dentist or a severe phobia, it is still essential to take care of your teeth. So, finding ways to reduce your worry and ease your dental anxiety is essential to protect your oral health.

fear of desntist

There are many reasons people develop a fear of visiting the dentist. Perhaps they have had a negative experience in the past, or maybe they are concerned that there is something wrong with their teeth and are worried about having treatment. Whatever your reasons may be for having dental anxiety, there are ways to make visiting the dentist easier on yourself. Take a look at these tips to reduce your dental anxiety:

Find the Right Dentist

If you are not happy with your current dentist, this may be exacerbating your fear. Changing your dentist and visiting a different dental office can be really helpful. Carrying out a little research and selecting a dentist that has a calming, relaxed treatment environment can transform trips to the dentist from something you dread into a positive experience. Choosing a dentist that is highly experienced and is used to treating patients with dental anxiety is also really beneficial and will help you to feel at ease during your visits.

It is helpful to discuss your fear of attending dental exams with your dentist ahead of your visit. Letting your dentist know about your phobia will ensure that they can make your consultation as stress-free as possible.

Calm Your Mind

Staying calm is the best way to stop your dental anxiety from escalating. Reducing your stress before you even arrive at the dentist’s office will prevent anxiety from building up. Practicing breathing techniques can be helpful when trying to stay calm. It is also wise to do all that you can to avoid the dental visit from becoming stressful by ensuring you leave early enough to get to the dentist’s office and allow enough time to park up without needing to rush. Staying calm and avoiding unnecessary stress is a great way to feel in control of the situation and keep your anxiety levels low.

Bring a Friend

Bringing a friend to your dental check-up is a great way to feel more at ease. Having someone with you provides a reassuring presence and should help you to feel more relaxed about the situation. It is best to check before your visit to ensure that you can bring someone along to your consultation to help you cope with your dental anxiety.

Following these steps should help reduce the worry of visiting the dentist and ensure that your teeth get the care they deserve.

Unexpected Symptoms of Anxiety To Watch Out For

Anxiety disorder is one of the most common mental health problems and our awareness of it is growing. People that never would have been diagnosed in the past are getting the help that they need because they know how to spot the signs. If you are constantly worried for no real reason, it’s likely that you have an anxiety disorder.

stress busting

However, there are still a lot of people that are not getting the right treatment for anxiety because their disorder displays in different ways. Anxious thoughts are not the only sign to look out for and the disorder can impact you in ways that might surprise you. These are some of the unexpected symptoms of anxiety disorder.

Muscle Pain

The muscle tension that you feel when you are under stress is well known. We all experience it, but for anxious people, this feeling never goes away. The constant tension can lead to severe pain and sore muscles that just won’t go away. There are, of course, a lot of different reasons for muscle pain. However, if you find that you often have pain around the neck and shoulders, this could be because you are very anxious and you are holding all of that tension in your muscles. If you can find ways to manage your mental health, you should notice a big change in your muscle tension.

Skin Problems

Anxiety and stress are closely related, which is why skin problems are common in people with anxiety. When you are stressed and anxious, the body releases cortisol and adrenaline, and these hormones can cause acne and an irritated scalp. If you find that you have a lot of pimples or different skin problems for no reason, your anxiety might be the cause.

Heavy Drinking

People that are stressed out often rely on alcohol to alleviate their symptoms. They drink because it’s a depressant and it makes them forget about the stress for a few hours. People with social anxiety may also drink heavily to make themselves feel more relaxed in certain situations. This is a dangerous habit to get into and if you find yourself drinking a lot on a regular basis, you should consider rehab for alcohol before the problem gets out of control. Having a few drinks with friends doesn’t mean you have an anxiety disorder but if you regularly abuse alcohol, you should consider what the underlying cause might be.

Chest Pains and Breathing Issues

Having anxiety and panic attacks is not easy on the body. The constant worry, high blood pressure, and rapid heartbeat can all lead to chest pains that are quite similar to heart attack symptoms. This feeling often leads concerned anxious people to go see a doctor because they are worried that they might be having a heart attack. However, these pains are caused by something different – anxiety disorder. Quite often, people with panic disorders develop breathing problems. They may have shortness of breath or chronic hyperventilation which also causes pain in the area around the heart. If you notice these symptoms, you should get it checked out because it may be something more serious. However, it is often caused by anxiety.

Anxiety doesn’t just cause nervous thoughts, it causes a range of different symptoms that you should watch out for, including these unexpected ones.